• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.491-504
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• 2018

Because of sandwich structures with low weight and high stiffness have much usage in various industries such as civil and aerospace engineering, in this article, buckling and free vibration analyses of coupled micro composite sandwich plates are investigated based on sinusoidal shear deformation (SSDT) and most general strain gradient theories (MGSGT). It is assumed that the sandwich structure rested on an orthotropic elastic foundation and make of four composite face sheets with temperature-dependent material properties that they reinforced by carbon and boron nitride nanotubes and two flexible transversely orthotropic cores. Mathematical formulation is presented using Hamilton's principle and governing equations of motions are derived based on energy approach and applying variation method for simply supported edges under electro-magneto-thermo-mechanical, axial buckling and pre-stresses loadings. In order to predict the effects of various parameters such as material length scale parameter, length to width ratio, length to thickness ratio, thickness of face sheets to core thickness ratio, nanotubes volume fraction, pre-stress load and orthotropic elastic medium on the natural frequencies and critical buckling load of double-bonded micro composite sandwich plates. It is found that orthotropic elastic medium has a special role on the system stability and increasing Winkler and Pasternak constants lead to enhance the natural frequency and critical buckling load of micro plates, while decrease natural frequency and critical buckling load with increasing temperature changes. Also, it is showed that pre-stresses due to help the axial buckling load causes that delay the buckling phenomenon. Moreover, it is concluded that the sandwich structures with orthotropic cores have high stiffness, but because they are not economical, thus it is necessary the sandwich plates reinforce by carbon or boron nitride nanotubes specially, because these nanotubes have important thermal and mechanical properties in comparison of the other reinforcement.

• Advances in robotics research
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2014

Microgripper is an essential device in the micro-operation system. It can convert other types of energy into mechanical energy and produce clamp movement with required chucking force, which enables it a broad application prospect in the domain of tiny components' processing and assembly, biomedicine and optics, etc. The performance of a microgripper is dependent on its power supply, type of drive, mechanism structure, sensing components, and controller. This paper presents a state-of-the-art survey of recent development on flexure-based microgrippers. According to the drive type, the existing microgrippers can be mainly classified as electrostatic microgripper, electrothermal microgripper, electromagnetic microgripper, piezoelectric microgripper, and shape memory alloy microgripper. Additionally, some different mechanisms, sensors, and control methods that are used in microgripper system are reviewed. The key issue of how to choose those components in microgripper system design is also addressed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.191-209
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• 2008

A structural monitoring system based on cheap and wireless monitoring system is investigated in this paper. Due to low-cost and low power consumption, micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) is suitable for wireless monitoring and the use of MEMS and wireless communication can reduce system cost and simplify the installation for structural health monitoring. For system identification using wireless MEMS, a finite element (FE) model updating method through correlation with the initial analytical model of the structure to the measured one is used. The system identification using wireless MEMS is evaluated experimentally using a three storey frame model. Identification results are compared to ones using data measured from traditional accelerometers and results indicate that the system identification using wireless MEMS estimates system parameters with reasonable accuracy. Another smart sensor considered in this paper for structural health monitoring is Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) which is a type of piezoelectric material. PZT patches have been applied for the health monitoring of structures owing to their simultaneous sensing/actuating capability. In this paper, the system identification for building structures by using PZT patches functioning as sensor only is presented. The FE model updating method is applied with the experimental data obtained using PZT patches, and the results are compared to ones obtained using wireless MEMS system. Results indicate that sensing by PZT patches yields reliable system identification results even though limited information is available.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.137-143
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• 2009

This paper presents the fabrication of inchworm motor for high precision actuator system of large displacement and high force. The inchworm motor consists of a extend actuator that provides displacement of tool guide and two clamping actuators which provide the holding force. In order to avoid the PZT fracture, design of pre-load housing was conducted by flexure hinge structure, because PZT actuator has low tensile and shear. To design the pre-load housing and optimize the clamping mechanism, the static and dynamic analysis were conducted by finite element method. From these results, a prototype of the inchworm motor was fabricated and dynamic characteristic with respect to the various frequency was tested. The maximum velocity of the inchworm motor was $41.1{\mu}m/s$ at 16Hz.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.159-184
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• 2005

The paper intends to summarize some guidelines for future smart structure system application in military aircraft. This preview of system integration is based upon a review on approximately one and a half decades of application oriented aerospace related smart structures research. Achievements in the area of structural health monitoring, adaptive shape, adaptive load bearing devices and active vibration control have been reached, potentials have been identified, several feasibility studies have been performed and some smart technologies have been already implemented. However the realization of anticipated visions and previously initial timescales announced have been rather too optimistic. The current development shall be based on a more realistic basis including more emphasis on fundamental aircraft strength, stiffness, static and dynamic load and stability requirements of aircraft and interdisciplinary integration requirements and improvements of integrated actors, actuator systems and control systems including micro controllers.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.69-85
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• 2004

The novel form of composite walling system consists of two skins of profiled steel sheeting with an in-fill of concrete. Such walling system can be used as shear elements in steel framed building subjected to lateral load. This paper presents the results of small-scale model tests on composite wall and its components manufactured from very thin sheeting and micro-concrete tested under monotonic and cyclic shear loading conditions. The heavily instrumented small-scale tests provided information on the load-deformation response, strength, stiffness, strain condition, sheet-concrete interaction and failure modes. Analytical models for shear strength and stiffness are derived with some modification factor to take into account the effect of quasi-static cycling loading. The performance of design equations is validated through experimental results.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.239-243
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• 2022

We investigate the influence of nonlinear viscoelastic damping on the response of a cantilever sensor covered by piezoelectric layers in a symmetric or asymmetric configuration. We formulate an initial-boundary-value problem which consistently incorporates both geometric and material nonlinearities including the effect of viscoelastic damping which cannot be ignored for micro- and nano-mechanical sensor operation in a vacuum environment. We employ an asymptotic multiple-scales methodology to yield the system nonlinear frequency response near its primary resonance and employ a model-based estimation procedure to deduce the system damping backone curve from controlled experiments in vacuum. We discuss the effect of nonlinear damping on sensor applications for scanning probe microscopy.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.63-82
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• 2005

This paper introduces a technology for robust and low maintenance cost sensor network capable to detect accelerations below a micro-g in a wide frequency bandwidth (above 1,000 Hz). Sensor networks with such performance are critical for navigation, seismology, acoustic sensing, and for the health monitoring of civil structures. The approach is based on the fabrication of an array of high sensitivity accelerometers, each utilizing Fabry-Perot cavity with wavelength-dependent reflectivity to allow embedded optical detection and serialization. The unique feature of the approach is that no local power source is required for each individual sensor. Instead one global light source is used, providing an input optical signal which propagates through an optical fiber network from sensor-to-sensor. The information from each sensor is embedded onto the transmitted light as an intrinsic wavelength division multiplexed signal. This optical "rainbow" of data is then assessed providing real-time sensing information from each sensor node in the network. This paper introduces the Fabry-Perot based accelerometer and examines its critical features, including the effects of imperfections and resolution estimates. It then presents serialization techniques for the creation of systems of arrayed sensors and examines the effects of serialization on sensor response. Finally, a fabrication process is proposed to create test structures for the critical components of the device, which are dynamically characterized.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.787-800
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• 2016

The aim of the paper is to analyze nonlinear transverse vibration of an embedded piezoelectric plate reinforced with single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The system in rested in a Pasternak foundation. The micro-electro-mechanical model is employed to calculate mechanical and electrical properties of nanocomposite. Using nonlinear strain-displacement relations and considering charge equation for coupling between electrical and mechanical fields, the motion equations are derived based on energy method and Hamilton's principle. These equations can't be solved analytically due to their nonlinear terms. Hence, differential quadrature method (DQM) is employed to solve the governing differential equations for the case when all four ends are clamped supported and free electrical boundary condition. The influences of the elastic medium, volume fraction and orientation angle of the SWCNTs reinforcement and aspect ratio are shown on frequency of structure. The results indicate that with increasing volume fraction of SWCNTs, the frequency increases. This study might be useful for the design and smart control of nano/micro devices such as MEMS and NEMS.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.273-287
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• 2018

Buckling and free vibration analysis of sandwich micro plate (SMP) integrated with piezoelectric layers embedded in orthotropic Pasternak are investigated in this paper. The refined Zigzag theory (RZT) is taken into consideration to model the SMP. Four different types of functionally graded (FG) distribution through the thickness of the SMP core layer which is reinforced with single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are considered. The modified couple stress theory (MCST) is employed to capture the effects of small scale effects. The sandwich structure is exposed to a two dimensional magnetic field and also, piezoelectric layers are subjected to external applied voltages. In order to obtain governing equation, energy method as well as Hamilton's principle is applied. Based on an analytical solution the critical buckling loads and natural frequency are obtained. The effects of volume fraction of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), different distributions of CNTs, foundation stiffness parameters, magnetic and electric fields, small scale parameter and the thickness of piezoelectric layers on the both critical buckling loads and natural frequency of the SMP are examined. The obtained results demonstrate that the effects of volume fraction of CNTs play an important role in analyzing buckling and free vibration behavior of the SMP. Furthermore, the effects of magnetic and electric fields are remarkable on the mechanical responses of the system and cannot be neglected.