• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.681-692
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• 2020

Conventional Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters (CPEH) have been extensively studied for maximizing their electrical output through material selection, geometric and structural optimization, and adoption of efficient interface circuits. In this paper, the performance of Stepped Piezoelectric Energy Harvester (SPEH) under harmonic base excitation is studied analytically, numerically and experimentally. The motivation is to compare the energy harvesting performance of CPEH and SPEHs with the same characteristics (resonant frequency). The results of this study challenge the notion of achieving higher voltage and power output through incorporation of geometric discontinuities such as step sections in the harvester beams. A CPEH consists of substrate material with a patch of piezoelectric material bonded over it and a tip mass at the free end to tune the resonant frequency. A SPEH is designed by introducing a step section near the root of substrate beam to induce higher dynamic strain for maximizing the electrical output. The incorporation of step section reduces the stiffness and consequently, a lower tip mass is used with SPEH to match the resonant frequency to that of CPEH. Moreover, the electromechanical coupling coefficient, forcing function and damping are significantly influenced because of the inclusion of step section, which consequently affects harvester's output. Three different configurations of SPEHs characterized by the same resonant frequency as that of CPEH are designed and analyzed using linear electromechanical model and their performances are compared. The variation of strain on the harvester beams is obtained using finite element analysis. The prototypes of CPEH and SPEHs are fabricated and experimentally tested. It is shown that the power output from SPEHs is lower than the CPEH. When the prototypes with resonant frequencies in the range of 56-56.5 Hz are tested at 1 m/s2, three SPEHs generate power output of 482 μW, 424 μW and 228 μW when compared with 674 μW from CPEH. It is concluded that the advantage of increasing dynamic strain using step section is negated by increase in damping and decrease in forcing function. However, SPEHs show slightly better performance in terms of specific power and thus making them suitable for practical scenarios where the ratio of power to system mass is critical.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.491-500
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• 2020

The present study proposes a time domain model for the Vortex-induced Vibration (VIV) simulation of a catenary riser under the combination of the current and oscillatory flow induced by vessel motion. In this model, the hydrodynamic force of VIV comprises excitation force, hydrodynamic damping and added mass, which are taken as functions of the non-dimensional frequency and amplitude ratio. The non-dimensional frequency is related with the response frequency, natural frequency, lock-in range and the fluid velocity. The relatively oscillatory flow induced by vessel motion is taken into account in the fluid velocity. Considering that the added mass coefficient and the non-dimensional frequency can affect each other, an iterative analysis is conducted at each time step to update the added mass coefficient and the natural frequency. This model is in detail validated against the published test models. The results show that the model can reasonably reflect the effect of the added mass coefficient on the VIV, and can well predict the riser's VIV under stationary and oscillatory flow induced by vessel motion. Based on the model, this study carries out the VIV simulation of a catenary riser with harmonic vessel motion. By analyzing the bending moment near the touchdown point, it is found that under the combination of the ocean current and oscillatory flow the vessel motion may decrease the VIV response, while increase the excited frequencies. In addition, the decreasing rate of the VIV under vessel surge is larger than that under vessel heave at small vessel motion velocity, while the situation becomes opposite at large vessel motion velocity.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.13-27
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• 2023

Fatigue crack is a fatal problem for steel structures. Early detection and maintenance can help extend the service life and prevent hazards. This paper presents the ultrasonic guided waves-based (UGWs-based) fatigue crack detection of a steel I-beam. The semi-analytical finite element model has been built to obtain the wave propagation characteristics. Damage indices in both time and frequency domains were analyzed by considering the characteristic variations of UGWs including the amplitude, phase angle, and wave packet energy. The pulse-echo and pitch-catch methods were combined in the detection scheme. Lab-scale experiments were conducted on welded steel I-beams to verify the proposed method. Results show that the damage indices based on the characteristic variations in the time domain can identify and localize the fatigue crack before it enters the rapid growth stage. The damage severity can be reasonably evaluated by analyzing the time-domain damage indices. Two nonlinear damage indices in the frequency domain give earlier warnings of the fatigue crack than the time-domain damage indices do. The identification results based on the above two nonlinear indices are found to be less consistent under various excitation frequencies. More robust nonlinear techniques needed to be searched and tested for early crack detection in steel I-beams in further study.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.88 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2023

In this study, forced vibration behavior of a piezo magneto electric sandwich Timoshenko beam is investigated. It is assumed a sandwich beam with porous core and graphene platelet reinforced composite (GPLRC) in facesheets subjected to magneto-electro-elastic and temperature-dependent material properties. The magneto electro platelets are under linear function along with the thickness that includes a cosine function and magnetic and electric constant potentials. The governing equations of motion are derived using modified strain gradient theory for microstructures. The effects of material length scale parameters, temperature change, different distributions of porous, various patterns of graphene platelets, and the core to face sheets thickness ratio on the natural frequency and excited frequency of a sandwich Timoshenko beam are scrutinized. Various size-dependent methods effects such as MSGT, MCST, and CT on the natural frequency is considered. Moreover, the final results affirm that the increase in porosity coefficient and volume fractions lead to an increase in the amount of natural frequency; while vice versa for the increment in the aspect ratio. From forced vibration analysis, it is understood that by increasing the values of volume fraction and the length thickness of GPL, the maximum deflection of a sandwich beam decreases. Also, it is concluded that increasing the temperature, the thickness of GPL, and the initial force leads to a decrease in the maximum deflection of GPL. It is also shown that resonance phenomenon occurs when the natural and excitation frequencies become equal to each other. Outcomes also reveal that the third natural frequency owns the minimum value of both deflection and frequency ratio and the first natural frequency has the maximum.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.351-356
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• 2012

Ultrasonic cavitation is a physical phenomenon that generates and collapses microbubbles in media (mainly fluids) under conditions of strong ultrasonic irradiation. In this study, changes in the ultrasonic acoustic characteristics of bubble clouds in relation to ultrasonic irradiation were observed by the quantitative evaluation of cavitation yields. Concave-type single ultrasonic transducers with center frequencies of 500 kHz and 1.1 MHz were used to produce cavitation, and 2.25 MHz interference ultrasonic waves that would traverse any bubble clouds generated were used to analyze the cavitation. The parameters used for the evaluation of cavitation yields (changes in the center frequency, attenuation characteristics, and the propagation time of penetrating waves) were analyzed in relation to the cavitation-generating conditions (irradiation intensity, excitation signal, and center frequency). On the basis of these results, correlations between the changes in the center frequency and irradiation intensity were identified. Although the correlation coefficient was low, notable changes were observed in the center frequency under certain irradiation conditions. Attenuation trends in the interference ultrasonic waves showed high correlations with all the irradiation conditions, and it was noted that these trends were not affected by the forms of cavitation generated. No differences in the propagation time were observed among different irradiation conditions. These findings suggest that bubble yields can be quantitatively evaluated effectively by evaluating the diverse irradiation conditions and that such a quantitative evaluation could be used to study the basic cavitation phenomenon occurring in high-intensity ultrasonic wave treatment.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.127-136
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• 1985

A simplified single degree of freedom analog with mass-spring-dashpot is proposed in this study. The simplified analog can describe the dynamic behavior of a rigid circular footings whose contact pressures are parabolic. The analog proposed in this study shows remarkable agreement when compared with the elastic half-space theory the analog is also compared with vertical vibration test results of model concrete footings. For the vibration experiments, 11 circular footings with different mass ratio are constructed. The elastic half-space is represented by compacted sand layer. A constant force excitation vibrator is used for the dynamic loading. The frequency range for vibration tests is 30 to 100 Hz. From the dynamic experiments, it is found that the measured resonant frequencies agree very well with the analog results, however, the ratio of theoretical and measured resonant amplitudes vary between 0.5 and 1.7. It is also found that, when the dynamic force is increased, the resonant frequency is decreased slightly and the resonant amplitude is increased slightly.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.61-69
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• 2013

This research is aimed to evaluate characteristics and dynamic modeling of MR damper for semi-active vibration control. A MR damper of semi-active type was designed and made for the purpose of controlling the vibration of a real-size model structure. Usually a semi-active control system equipped with a MR damper requires a dynamic model which expresses numerical data about the damping capacity and dynamic characteristics generated by a MR damper. To fulfil the requirement, a Power model and a Bingham model were particularly employed among many dynamic models of MR damper. Those models being contrasted with other ones, a dynamic test was carried out on the developed MR damper. In the test, excitation frequencies were conditioned to be 0.15 Hz, 1.0 Hz, and 2.0 Hz, and three different currents were adopted for each frequency. From these test results, it was found that displacement affected control capacity of the MR damper. The test results led to the identification of model variables for each dynamic model, on the basis of which a force-speed relation curve and expected damping force were derived and contrasted to those of the developed MR damper. Therefore, it was proven that the MR damper designed and made in this research was effective as a semi-active controller, and also that displacement of 2mm at minimum was found to be secured for vibration control, through the test using various displacements.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.227-233
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• 2014

This study investigates the vibration characteristics of a wire-bonding piezoelectric transducer and ultrasonic horn for high-speed and precise welding. A ring-type piezoelectric stack actuator is excited at 136 kHz to vibrate a conical-type horn and capillary system. The nodal lines and amplification ratio of the ultrasonic horn are obtained using a theoretical analysis and FEM simulation. The vibration modes and frequencies close to the driving frequency are identified to evaluate the bonding performance of the current wire-bonder system. The FEM and experimental results show that the current wire-bonder system uses the bending mode of 136 kHz as the principal motion for bonding and that the transverse vibration of the capillary causes the bonding failure. Because the major longitudinal mode exists at 119 kHz, it is recommended that the design of the current wire-bonding system be modified to use the major longitudinal mode at the excitation frequency and to minimize the transverse vibration of capillary in order to improve the bonding performance.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.143-150
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• 2021

To develop the technique for predicting the horizontal displacement of a retaining wall induced by an earthquake, an equation of motion that depicts the retaining wall-soil vibrating system was derived. The resulting differential equation was solved using the Runge-Kutta-Nystr?m method. Considering the pre-mentioned derivation process, the analysis procedures for obtaining horizontal displacement induced by an earthquake were programmed. The core algorithm of the displacement-force relationship, which is the main engine of the developed program, was suggested. Considering the results obtained by adopting the developed program to the assumed retaining wall under an earthquake, the relationships between the time-displacement, time-force, and displacement-force were reasonable. According to the results computed by the program, the displacements to the front direction of the wall occurred, and the displacement per cycle converged after some cycles elapsed. Displacements with a natural period were calculated, which showed that the maximum displacement was observed when the natural frequency was slightly different from the excitation frequency rather than the same values of the two frequencies. This happens because the vibrating system was modeled by two springs with different stiffness.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.187-199
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• 2013

Umbrella arch method (UAM) used for improving the stability of the tunnel ground condition has been widely applied in the tunnel construction projects due to the advantage of obtaining both reinforcement and waterproof. The purpose of this study is to develop the evaluation technique of the integrity of bore-hole in UAM by using a non-destructive test and to evaluate the possibility of being applied to the field. In order to investigate the variations of frequency depending on grouted length, the specimens with different grouted ratios are made in the two constraint conditions (free boundary condition and embedded condition). The hammer impact reflection method in which excitation and reception occur simultaneously at the head of pipe was used. The guided waves generated by hitting a pipe with a hammer were reflected at the tip and returned to the head, and the signals were received by an acoustic emission (AE) sensor installed at the head. For the laboratory experiments, the specimens were prepared with different grouted ratios (25 %, 50 %, 75 %, 100 %). In addition, field tests were performed for the application of the evaluation technique. Fast Fourier transform and wavelet transform were applied to analyze the measured waves. The experimental studies show that grouted ratio has little effects on the velocities of guided waves. Main frequencies of reflected waves tend to decrease with an increase in the grouted length in the time-frequency domain. This study suggests that the non-destructive tests using guided ultrasonic waves be effective to evaluate the bore-hole integrity of the UAM in the field.