Yurim Park

Low-velocity impact localization in a stiffened composite panel using a normalized cross-correlation method

This paper presents an experimental study on the low-velocity impact localization of complex composite structures. An impact localization algorithm, which localizes an impact source by comparing the normalized cross-correlation between the reference database and the obtained impact signals, was proposed. The proposed method was applied to a stiffened composite panel that consists of a main spar and stringers. Impact tests were conducted on the composite panel in which four multiplexed fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors were attached on the bottom surface. The verification results indicated that 20 verification points were successfully localized with the maximum error of 43.98 mm and average error of 14.23 mm using four FBG sensors. The effect of the number of sensors on the localization performance was also investigated. The comparison results revealed that the proposed method could localize an impact source using a reduced number of sensors. A single FBG sensor covered an area of 600 × 900 mm2 of the stiffened composite panel with a maximum error of 64.76 mm and an average error of 17.86 mm using the proposed method.

Influence of chemically and plasma-functionalized carbon nanotubes on high-performance polymeric nanocomposites

This investigation highlights different surface functionalization processes of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and their effects on mechanical properties of polyetherimide nanocomposite. Surfaces of MWCNTs were modified by chemical process and by low-pressure plasma process. There is a significant change in physicochemical characteristics of MWCNTs after chemical and low plasma treatment evident from scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies. Due to surface modification of CNTs, there is a significant change in surface morphology and increase in oxygen functionalities such as C=O, C–O, and COOH especially evident in low-pressure plasma treatment; however, differential scanning calorimeter and thermogravimetric analysis studies reveal that thermal properties of the composite do not alter as such. There is a significant increase in mechanical properties of high-performance polymeric nanocomposites when surface-functionalized MWCNTs are dispersed in polymeric matrix; however, surface characteristics of the composite remain almost unchanged evident from contact angle and surface energy studies.

Aircraft health and usage monitoring system for in-flight strain measurement of a wing structure

This paper presents an aircraft health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) using fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors. This study aims to implement and evaluate the HUMS for in-flight strain monitoring of aircraft structures. An optical-fiber-based HUMS was developed and applied to an ultralight aircraft that has a rectangular wing shape with a strut-braced configuration. FBG sensor arrays were embedded into the wing structure during the manufacturing process for effective sensor implementation. Ground and flight tests were conducted to verify the integrity and availability of the installed FBG sensors and HUMS devices. A total of 74 flight tests were conducted using the HUMS implemented testbed aircraft, considering various maneuvers and abnormal conditions. The flight test results revealed that the FBG-based HUMS was successfully implemented on the testbed aircraft and operated normally under the actual flight test environments as well as providing reliable in-flight strain data from the FBG sensors over a long period of time.

Temperature-compensated strain measurement of full-scale small aircraft wing structure using low-cost FBG interrogator

Recently, health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS) are being studied to monitor the real-time condition of aircrafts during flight. HUMSs can prevent aircraft accidents and reduce inspection time and cost. Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors are widely used for aircraft HUMSs with many advantages such as light weight, small size, easy-multiplexing, and EMI immunity. However, commercial FBG interrogators are too expensive to apply for small aircrafts. Generally the cost of conventional FBG interrogators is over

Application of fiber Bragg grating sensors in light aircraft: ground and flight test

20,000. Therefore, cost-effective FBG interrogation systems need to be developed for small aircraft HUMSs. In this study, cost-effective low speed FBG interrogator was applied to full-scale small aircraft wing structure to examine the operational applicability of the low speed FBG interrogator to the monitoring of small aircrafts. The cost of the developed low speed FBG interrogator was about

Computational analysis of a sandwich shield with free boundary inserted fabric at high velocity impact

10,000, which is an affordable price for a small aircraft. 10 FBG strain sensors and 1 FBG temperature sensor were installed on the surface of the full-scale wing structure. Load was applied to the tip of the wing structure, and the low speed interrogator detected the change in the center wavelength of the FBG sensors at the sampling rate of 10Hz. To assess the applicability of the low-cost FBG interrogator to full-scale small aircraft wing structure, a temperature-compensated strain measurement algorithm was verified experimentally under various loading conditions of the wing structure with temperature variations.

High Velocity Impact Characteristics of Shear Thickening Fluid Impregnated Kevlar Fabric

Fiber optic sensors are being spotlighted as the means to monitoring aircraft conditions due to their excellent characteristics. This paper presents an affordable structural health monitoring system based on a fiber Bragg grating sensor (FBG) for application in light aircrafts. A total of 24 FBG sensors were installed in the main wing of the test bed aircraft. In the ground test, the intactness of the installed sensors and device operability were confirmed. During the flight test, the strain and temperature responses of the wing structure were measured by the on-board low-speed FBG interrogator. The measured strains were successfully converted into the flight load history through the load calibration coefficient obtained from the ground calibration test.

Signal characteristics of the surface bonded fiber Bragg grating sensors by bonding length under different load types

In this paper, a novel hybrid composite shield to protect space structures from hypervelocity impact of micrometeoroid and space debris is proposed. The finite-element model of the proposed shield was constructed and finite-element analysis was conducted to approximate the energy absorption rate. Before the final model analysis, analysis of each component including the aluminum plate (front plate), PMMA plate (rear plate), and intermediate layer of fabric was performed, verifying the finite-element model of each component. The material properties used in the analysis were predicted material property values for high strain rates. The analysis results showed that, other than the fabric, the energy absorption rate of each component was in agreement. Afterwards, the finite-element model of the hybrid composite shield was constructed, where it was analyzed for the constrained and unconstrained fabric boundary condition cases. Through the finite-element analysis, the fiber pullout mechanism was realized for the hybrid shield with free boundary inserted fabric, and it was observed that this mechanism led to energy absorption increase.

Investigation of LEO environment exposure monitoring potential using embedded FBG sensors

The development of high performance fabrics have advanced body armor technology and improved ballistic performance while maintaining flexibility. Utilization of the shear thickening phenomenon exhibited by Shear Thickening Fluids (STF) has allowed further enhancement without hindering flexibility of the fabric through a process of impregnation. The effect of STF impregnation on the ballistic performance of fabrics has been studied for impact velocities below 700 m/s. Studies of STF-impregnated fabrics for high velocity impacts, which would provide a transition to significantly higher velocity ranges, are lacking. This study aims to investigate the effect of STF impregnation on the high velocity impact characteristics of Kevlar fabric by effectively dispersing silica nanoparticles in a suspension, impregnating Kevlar fabrics, and performing high velocity impact experiments with projectile velocities in the range of 1 km/s to compare the post impact characteristics between neat Kevlar and impregnated Kevlar fabrics. 100 nm diameter silica nanoparticles were dispersed using a homogenizer and sonicator in a solution of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and diluted with methanol for effective impregnation to Kevlar fabric, and the methanol was evaporated in a heat oven. High velocity impact of STF-impregnated Kevlar fabric revealed differences in the post impact rear formation compared to neat Kevlar.

Low velocity impact monitoring of composite wing structure under simulated wing loading condition using fiber Bragg grating sensors

The surface-bonding method of the fiber Bragg grating(FBG) sensor is easier to handle than embedding method. However surface bonded FBG sensors have the limitation of the signal characteristics being affected by the bonding layer. In this study, the effects of the bonding length on the surface installed FBG sensor signal characteristics under various load types were empirically investigated. To evaluate the stability of the signal characteristics of the FBG sensors, the strain transfer rate and the multiple peaks ratio of the reflected spectrum were calculated and compared. From the experimental results, the strain transfer ratio and multiple peaks ratio varied because of the different strain gradients formed depending on the applied load type. Therefore, it was found that the effective bonding length for respective load types need to be determined to get a stable signal from the surface bonded FBG sensors.