Yanfeng Shen

WaveFormRevealer: An analytical framework and predictive tool for the simulation of multi-modal guided wave propagation and interaction with damage

This article presents the WaveFormRevealer—an analytical framework and predictive tool for the simulation of guided Lamb wave propagation and interaction with damage. The theory of inserting damage effects into the analytical model is addressed, including wave transmission, reflection, mode conversion, and nonlinear higher harmonics. The analytical model is coded into MATLAB, and a graphical user interface (WaveFormRevealer graphical user interface) is developed to obtain real-time predictive waveforms for various combinations of sensors, structural properties, and damage. In this article, the main functions of WaveFormRevealer are introduced. Case studies of selective Lamb mode linear and nonlinear interaction with damage are presented. Experimental verifications are carried out. The article finishes with summary and conclusions followed by recommendations for further work.

Guided Wave Based Crack Detection in the Rivet Hole Using Global Analytical with Local FEM Approach

In this article, ultrasonic guided wave propagation and interaction with the rivet hole cracks has been formulated using closed-form analytical solution while the local damage interaction, scattering, and mode conversion have been obtained from finite element analysis. The rivet hole cracks (damage) in the plate structure gives rise to the non-axisymmetric scattering of Lamb wave, as well as shear horizontal (SH) wave, although the incident Lamb wave source (primary source) is axisymmetric. The damage in the plate acts as a non-axisymmetric secondary source of Lamb wave and SH wave. The scattering of Lamb and SH waves are captured using wave damage interaction coefficient (WDIC). The scatter cubes of complex-valued WDIC are formed that can describe the 3D interaction (frequency, incident direction, and azimuth direction) of Lamb waves with the damage. The scatter cubes are fed into the exact analytical framework to produce the time domain signal. This analysis enables us to obtain the optimum design parameters for better detection of the cracks in a multiple-rivet-hole problem. The optimum parameters provide the guideline of the design of the sensor installation to obtain the most noticeable signals that represent the presence of cracks in the rivet hole.

Combined analytical FEM approach for efficient simulation of Lamb wave damage detection

Lamb waves have been widely explored as a promising inspection tool for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) and structural health monitoring (SHM). This article presents a combined analytical finite element model (FEM) approach (CAFA) for the accurate, efficient, and versatile simulation of 2-D Lamb wave propagation and interaction with damage. CAFA used a global analytical solution to model wave generation, propagation, scattering, mode conversion, and detection, while the wave-damage interaction coefficients (WDICs) were extracted from harmonic analysis of local FEM with non-reflective boundaries (NRB). The analytical procedure was coded using MATLAB, and a predictive simulation tool called WaveFormRevealer 2-D was developed. The methodology of obtaining WDICs from local FEM was presented. Case studies were carried out for Lamb wave propagation in a pristine plate and a damaged plate. CAFA predictions compared well with full scale multi-physics FEM simulations and experiments with scanning laser Doppler vibrometry (SLDV), while achieving remarkable performance in computational efficiency and computer resource saving compared with conventional FEM.

Interaction of Lamb waves with rivet hole cracks from multiple directions

This paper presents the interaction of Lamb waves with rivet hole cracks from multiple directions of incident using the finite element approach. Lamb waves undergo scattering and mode conversion after interacting with the damage. Shear horizontal waves appear in the scattered waves because of the mode conversion. Instead of analyzing the whole large structure, the local damage area is analyzed using finite element analyses and analytical formulation is used to analyze the whole structure. The scatter fields are described in terms of wave damage interaction coefficients that involve scattering and mode conversion of Lamb waves. Lamb wave mode (S0 and A0) hit the damage from multiple directions and corresponding wave damage interaction coefficients are obtained around the damage. Harmonic analysis has been performed over the fundamental frequency domain and “scatter cubes” of complex-valued wave damage interaction coefficients are formed. The scatter cube provides the information of relative amplitude and phase of scattered waves around the damage that can be used for designing the sensor installation. An application based on real time domain signal has been illustrated for the problem of multiple-rivet-hole cracks using the scatter cubes with the analytical framework.

Benchmark problems for predictive fem simulation of 1-D and 2-D guided waves for structural health monitoring with piezoelectric wafer active sensors

Predictive simulation of ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation and structural health monitoring (SHM) is challenging. This paper addresses this issue in the context of guided-waves with piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS). The principle of guided wave with PWAS transducers is studied and an analytical model is developed to predict the waveform and theoretical frequency contents solution. Two benchmark problems, one 1-D and the other 2-D to achieve reliable and trustworthy predictive simulation of guided wave with finite element method have also been proposed.

Simulation of Interaction Between Lamb Waves and Cracks for Structural Health Monitoring With Piezoelectric Wafer Active Sensors

In this paper, the detection for two kinds of cracks is studied: (1) linear notch crack; (2) nonlinear breathing crack. A pitch-catch method with piezoelectric wafer actives sensors (PWAS) is used to interrogate an aluminum plate with a linear notch crack and a nonlinear breathing crack respectively as two cases. The inspection Lamb waves generated by the transmitter PWAS, propagate into the structure, interact with the crack, acquire crack information and are picked up by the receiver PWAS. The linear notch crack case is investigated through: (1) analytical model developed for Lamb waves interacting with a general linear damage; (2) finite element simulation. The breathing crack, which acts as a nonlinear source, is simulated using two approaches: (1) element activation/deactivation technique; (2) contact model. The theory and solving scheme of the proposed element activation/deactivation approach is discussed in detail. The signal features of different damage severities are analyzed. Crack opening, closing, stress concentration, surface collision phenomena are noticed for the breathing cracks. Mode conversion is noticed for both crack cases. The generation mechanism and mode components of the new wave packets are investigated by studying the particle motion through the plate thickness. A damage index is proposed based on the spectral amplitude ratio between the second harmonic and the excitation frequency for the breathing crack. The damage index is found capable of estimating the presence and severity of the breathing crack. The paper finishes with summary and conclusions.

Predictive Modeling of Space Structures for SHM With PWAS Transducers

This paper presents an investigation of predictive modeling of space structures for structural health monitoring (SHM) with piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) transducers. The development of a suitable SHM system for complex space structure is not trivial; creating a robust SHM capability requires at least: (a) flexible accommodation of numerous configurations; (b) detection of damage in complex multifunctional structures; (c) identification if mechanical interfaces are properly connected. To realize this, we propose a predictive modeling approach using both analytical tools and finite element method (FEM) to study the health status of the structure, the power and energy transduction between the structure and the PWAS. After a review of PWAS principles, the paper discusses the modeling and the power and energy transduction between structurally guided waves and PWAS. The use of guided wave (GW) and the capability of embedded PWAS to perform in situ nondestructive evaluation (NDE) are explored. FEM codes are used to simulate GW of 2D and 3D space structure using the commercials software ABAQUS. PWAS transducers placement at different location on a flat plate and on an isogrid panel was simulated. The signal scattered by a crack emerging from the hole is simulated. Predictive modeling of power and energy transduction is discussed using an analytical approach. This model of 2-D power and energy transduction of PWAS attached to structure allows examination of power and energy flow for a circular crested wave pattern. Wave propagation method for an infinite boundary plate, electromechanical energy transformation of PWAS and structure, and wave propagation energy spread out in 2-D plate are considered. The parametric study of PWAS size, impedance match gives the PWAS design guideline for PWAS sensing and power harvesting applications.Copyright

WFR-2D: an analytical model for PWAS-generated 2D ultrasonic guided wave propagation

This paper presents WaveFormRevealer 2-D (WFR-2D), an analytical predictive tool for the simulation of 2-D ultrasonic guided wave propagation and interaction with damage. The design of structural health monitoring (SHM) systems and self-aware smart structures requires the exploration of a wide range of parameters to achieve best detection and quantification of certain types of damage. Such need for parameter exploration on sensor dimension, location, guided wave characteristics (mode type, frequency, wavelength, etc.) can be best satisfied with analytical models which are fast and efficient. The analytical model was constructed based on the exact 2-D Lamb wave solution using Bessel and Hankel functions. Damage effects were inserted in the model by considering the damage as a secondary wave source with complex-valued directivity scattering coefficients containing both amplitude and phase information from wave-damage interaction. The analytical procedure was coded with MATLAB, and a predictive simulation tool called WaveFormRevealer 2-D was developed. The wave-damage interaction coefficients (WDICs) were extracted from harmonic analysis of local finite element model (FEM) with artificial non-reflective boundaries (NRB). The WFR-2D analytical simulation results were compared and verified with full scale multiphysics finite element models and experiments with scanning laser vibrometer. First, Lamb wave propagation in a pristine aluminum plate was simulated with WFR-2D, compared with finite element results, and verified by experiments. Then, an inhomogeneity was machined into the plate to represent damage. Analytical modeling was carried out, and verified by finite element simulation and experiments. This paper finishes with conclusions and suggestions for future work.

Excitability of guided waves in composites with PWAS transducers

Piezoelectric Wafer Active Sensors (PWAS) are convenient enablers for generating and receiving ultrasonic guided waves. The wide application of composite structures has put new challenges for the Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) and Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) community due to the general anisotropic behaviors and complicated guided wave features in composites. The excitability of guided waves in composite structures directly influences the implementation of active sensing systems to achieve the best interrogation of certain sensing directions. This paper presents a hybrid modeling technique for studying the excitably of guided waves in composite structures with PWAS transducers. This hybrid technique comprehensively covers local finite element model (FEM), semi-analytical finite element (SAFE) method, and analytical guided wave solutions. Harmonic analysis of a small-size local FEM with non-reflective boundaries (NRB) was carried out for obtaining guided wave generation features in plate structures. The PWAS transducers were modeled with coupled filed elements. Thus, the FEM can fully capture the geometry and material property effects of PWAS transducers and their influence on the guided wave excitation. SAFE method was used to obtain the complicated guided wave features in composites such as dispersion curves and modeshapes. The SAFE procedure was coded into MATLAB Graphical User Interface (GUI), and the software SAFE-DISPERSION was developed. To study the excitability of each wave mode, we considered all the possible wave modes being generated simultaneously and propagating independently. The analytical wave expressions based on the exact guided wave solution with Hankel functions were used to join the SAFE method and the local FEM. Formulated in frequency domain, the hybrid model is highly efficient, providing an over determined equation system for the calculation of mode participation factors. Case studies were carried out: (1) the Lamb wave excitability in an aluminum plate was investigated and compared with classical pin force models to show the feasibility of the hybrid technique; (2) the guided wave excitability in a woven glass fiber composite (GFRP) plate was studied with circular and square PWAS transducers. The paper finishes with summary, conclusions, and suggestions for future work.

Ultrasonic inspection of multiple-rivet-hole lap joint cracks using global analysis with local finite element approach

Ultrasonic inspection of multiple-rivet-hole lap joint cracks has been introduced using combined analytical and finite element approach (CAFA). Finite element analyses have been performed on local damage area in spite of the whole large structure and transfer function based analytical model is used to analyze the full structure. “Scattered cube” of complex valued wave damage interaction coefficient (WDIC) that involves scattering and mode conversion of Lamb waves around the damage is used as coupling between analytical and FEM simulation. WDIC is captured for multiple angles of incident Lamb mode (S0 and A0) over the frequency domain to analyze the cracks of multiple-rivet-hole lap joint. By analyzing the scattered cube of WDICs over the frequency domain and azimuthal angles the optimum parameters can be determined for each angle of incidence and the most sensitive signals are obtained using WaveformRevealer2D (WFR2D). These sensitive signals confirm the detection of the butterfly cracks in rivet holes through the installment of the transmitting and sensing PWASs in the proper locations and selecting the right frequency of excitation.