• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.8 no.9
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• pp.736-746
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• 2002

There has been a great demand for smart actuators in the field of micro-machines. However, the control accuracy of smart actuators, e.g., a shape memory alloy(SMA) and a piezoceramic actuator, is limited due to the inherent hysteresis nonlinearity. The Preisach hysteresis model has emerged as an appropriate model f3r the behavior of those smart actuators. Yet it is still not easy to construct a practical model of hysteresis using the classical Preisach model. Accordingly, in this paper, we propose a new simple method for modeling of the hysteresis nonlinearity of SMA. Using only the proportional relation of the major loop of hysteresis, the proposed method makes the computation of the Preisach model easy. We prove the efficacy of the proposed model through the comparative the experimentation with the classical Preisach model.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.15 no.1 s.94
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• pp.105-111
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• 2005

This paper is concerned with the active vibration control of smart structure using actuator signal made of pulse width modulation. The pulse width modulation has been used in motor control, where the amount of energy fed into the motor is controlled by the pulse width instead of applied voltage. The advantage of using the pulse width modulation is that analog signal can be replaced by the digital signal so that we can reduce system costs and power consumption. The effect of pulse width modulation on the vibration response was investigated in this study and the valid transformation rule was found. Then, the pulse width modulation was realized using a microprocessor and electronic circuit. The active vibration suppression was carried out by combining the positive position feedback controller and the pulse width modulation. The experimental result shows that we can replace an expensive amplifier with a pulse width modulation system thus reducing the system cost. The result also shows that the active vibration control can be achieved by the pulse width modulation technique.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.449-474
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• 2010

A smart hollow cylinder consisting of a host functionally graded elastic core layer and two surface homogeneous piezoelectric layers is presented in this paper. The bonding between the layers can be perfect or imperfect, depending on the parameters taken in the general linear spring-layer interface model. The effect of such weak interfaces on free vibration and steady-state response is then investigated. Piezoelectric layers at inner and outer surfaces are polarized axially or radially and act as a sensor and an actuator respectively. For a simply supported condition, the state equations with non-constant coefficients are obtained directly from the formulations of elasticity/piezoelasticity. An approximate laminated model is then introduced for the sake of solving the state equations conveniently. It is further assumed that the hollow cylinder is embedded in an elastic medium and is simultaneously filled with compressible fluid. The interaction between the structure and its surrounding media is taken into account. Numerical examples are finally given with discussions on the effect of some related parameters.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.4 no.5
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• pp.667-684
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• 2008

Numerous devices exist for reducing or eliminating seismic damage to structures. These include passive dampers, semi-active dampers, and active control devices. The performance of structural systems with these devices has often been evaluated using numerical simulations. Experiments on structural systems with these devices, particularly at large-scale, are lacking. This paper describes a real-time hybrid testing facility that has been developed at the Lehigh University NEES Equipment Site. The facility enables real-time large-scale experiments to be performed on structural systems with rate-dependent devices, thereby permitting a more complete evaluation of the seismic performance of the devices and their effectiveness in seismic hazard reduction. The hardware and integrated control architecture for hybrid testing developed at the facility are presented. An application involving the use of passive elastomeric dampers in a three story moment resisting frame subjected to earthquake ground motions is presented. The experiment focused on a test structure consisting of the damper and diagonal bracing, which was coupled to a nonlinear analytical model of the remaining part of the structure (i.e., the moment resisting frame). A tracking indictor is used to track the actuator ability to achieve the command displacement during a test, enabling the quality of the test results to be assessed. An extension of the testbed to the real-time hybrid testing of smart structures with semi-active dampers is described.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.313-323
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• 2018

The presence of water inside concrete structures is an essential condition for the deterioration of the structures. The free water in the concrete pores and micro-cracks is the culprit for the durability related problems, such as alkali-aggregate reaction, carbonation, freeze-thaw damage, and corrosion of steel reinforcement. To ensure the integrity and safe operation of the concrete structures, it is very important to monitor water seepage inside the concrete. This paper presents the experimental investigation of water seepage monitoring in a concrete slab using piezoelectric-based smart aggregates. In the experimental setup, an $800mm{\times}800mm{\times}100mm$ concrete slab was fabricated with 15 SAs distributed inside the slab. The water seepage process was monitored through interrogating the SA pairs. In each SA pair, one SA was used as actuator to emit harmonic sine wave, and the other was used as sensor to receive the transmitted stress wave. The amplitudes of the received signals were able to indicate the water seepage process inside the concrete slab.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2016

Intricate deflection requires many conventional actuators (motors, pistons etc.), which can be financially and spatially wasteful. Novel smart soft composite (SSC) actuators have been suggested, but fabrication complexity restricts their widespread use as general-purpose actuators. In this study, a hybrid manufacturing process comprising 3-D printing and casting was developed for automated fabrication of SSC actuators with $200{\mu}m$ precision, using a 3-D printer (3DISON, ROKIT), a simple polymer mixer, and a compressor controller. A method to improve precision is suggested, and the design compensates for deposition and backlash errors (maximum, $170{\mu}m$). A suitable flow rate and tool path are suggested for the polymer casting process. The equipment and process costs proposed here are lower than those of existing 3D printers for a multi-material deposition system and the technique has $200{\mu}m$ precision, which is suitable for fabrication of SSC actuators.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.229-251
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• 2020

In this paper, dynamic buckling of a smart sandwich nanotube is studied. The nanostructure is composed of a carbon-nanotube with inner and outer surfaces coated with ZnO piezoelectric layers, which play the role of sensor and actuator. Nanotube is under magnetic field and ZnO layers are under electric field. The nanostructure is located in a viscoelastic environment, which is assumed to obey Visco-Pasternak model. Non-local piezo-elasticity theory is used to consider the small-scale effect, and Kelvin model is used to describe the structural damping effects. Surface stresses are taken into account based on Gurtin-Murdoch theory. Hamilton principle in conjunction with zigzag shear-deformation theory is used to obtain the governing equations. The governing equations are then solved using the differential quadrature method, to determine dynamic stability region of the nanostructure. To validate the analysis, the results for simpler case studies are compared with others reported in the literature. Then, the effect of various parameters such as small-scale, surface stresses, Visco-Pasternak environment and electric and magnetic fields on the dynamic stability region is investigated. The results show that considering the surface stresses leads to an increase in the excitation frequency and the dynamic stability region happens at higher frequencies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.551-557
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• 2009

A development of smart materials is becoming a prominent issue on present industries. A smart material, included in functions, is needed for micro fabrication. A shape memory alloy(SMA) in a smart material is best known material. Ni-Ti alloy, composed of nikel and titanium is one of the best shape memory alloy(SMA). Nitinol SMA is used for a lot of high tech industry such as aero space, medical device, micro actuator, sensor system. However, Ni-Ti SMA is difficult to process to make a shape and fabrications as traditional machining process. Because nitinol SMA, that is contained nikel content more than titanium content, has similar physical characteristics of titanium. In this paper, the characteristics of ECM grooving process for nitinol SMA are investigated by experiments. The experiments in this study are progressed for power, gap distance and machining time. The characteristics are found each part. Fine shape in work piece can be found on conditions; current 6A, duty factor 50%, gap distance 15%, gap distance $15{\mu}m$, machining time 10min.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.307-318
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• 2019

The frequently excessive vibrations presented in civil structures during seismic events or service conditions may result in users' discomfort, or worst, in structures failure, producing economic and even human casualties. This work contributes in proposing the synthesis of a nonlinear optimal control strategy for semiactive structural control, with the main characteristic that the synthesis considers both the structure model and the semiactive actuator nonlinear dynamics, which produces a nonlinear system that requires a nonlinear controller design. The aim is to reduce the unwanted vibrations in the response of civil structures, by means of intelligent fluid semiactive actuator such as the Magnetorheological Damper (MRD), which is a device with a low level of power consumption. The civil structures for which the proposed control methodology can be applied are those admitting a state-dependent coefficient factorized representation model, such as buildings, bridges, among others. A scaled model of a three storey building is analyzed as a case study, whose dynamical response involves displacement, velocity and acceleration of each one of the storeys, subjected to the North-South component of the September 19th., 2017, Puebla-Morelos (7.1M), Mexico earthquake. The investigation rests on comparing the structural response over time for two different conditions: with no control device installed and with one MRD installed between the first floor and the ground, where a nonlinear optimal signal for the MRD input voltage is determined. Simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed controller for reducing the building's dynamical response.

• Composites Research
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.247-264
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• 2024

Recent advances in electro-active polymer (EAP) actuators, owing to their flexibility, lightweight, and simple fabrication process, have showcased their high utility across various fields such as soft robotics, biomimetics, wearable devices, and haptic technologies. Moreover, EAP actuators are evolving into smart devices with new functions and characteristics through the integration of functional materials and innovative technologies. This paper categorizes EAPs into ionic EAPs and electronic EAPs. Ionic EAPs include, most notably, ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) and conducting polymers (CPs), while electronic EAPs encompass dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs), ferroelectric polymer actuators, and the recently introduced hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic (HASEL) actuators. Detailed explanations based on the latest research are provided concerning the mechanism, structure, performance improvement strategies, methods for adding functionality, and application areas for each type of actuator.