Now showing 1 - 10 of 11
  • Publication
    Experimental Detection of Sudden Stiffness Change in a Structural System Employing Laser Doppler Vibrometry
    (Erredi Grafiche Editoriali, 2012-06-20) ; ; ;
    Sudden changes in the stiffness of a structure are often indicators of structural damage. Detection of such sudden stiffness change from the vibrations of structures is important for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) and damage detection. Non-contact measurement of these vibrations is a quick and efficient way for successful detection of sudden stiffness change of a structure. In this paper, we demonstrate the capability of Laser Doppler Vibrometry to detect sudden stiffness change in a Single Degree Of Freedom (SDOF) oscillator within a laboratory environment. The dynamic response of the SDOF system was measured using a Polytec RSV-150 Remote Sensing Vibrometer. This instrument employs Laser Doppler Vibrometry for measuring dynamic response. Additionally, the vibration response of the SDOF system was measured through a MicroStrain G-Link Wireless Accelerometer mounted on the SDOF system. The stiffness of the SDOF system was experimentally determined through calibrated linear springs. The sudden change of stiffness was simulated by introducing the failure of a spring at a certain instant in time during a given period of forced vibration. The forced vibration on the SDOF system was in the form of a white noise input. The sudden change in stiffness was successfully detected through the measurements using Laser Doppler Vibrometry. This detection from optically obtained data was compared with a detection using data obtained from the wireless accelerometer. The potential of this technique is deemed important for a wide range of applications. The method is observed to be particularly suitable for rapid damage detection and health monitoring of structures under a model-free condition or where information related to the structure is not sufficient.
      80
  • Publication
    Dynamic response signatures of a scaled model platform for floating wind turbines in an ocean wave basin
    Understanding of dynamic behaviour of offshore wind floating substructures is extremely important in relation to design, operation, maintenance and management of floating wind farms. This paper presents assessment of nonlinear signatures of dynamic responses of a scaled tension leg platform (TLP) in a wave tank exposed to different regular wave conditions and sea states characterised by the Bretschneider, the Pierson-Moskowitz, and the JONSWAP spectra. Dynamic responses of the TLP was monitored at different locations using load cells, camera based motion recognition system, and Laser Doppler Vibrometer. The analysis of variability of the TLP responses and statistical quantification of their linearity or nonlinearity, as non-destructive means of structural monitoring from output only condition, remains a challenging problem. In this study, the Delay Vector Variance (DVV) method is used to statistically study the degree of nonlinearity of measured response signals from TLP. DVV is observed to create a marker estimating the degree to which a change in signal nonlinearity reflects real time behaviour of the structure, and also to establish the sensitivity of the instruments employed to these changes. The findings can be helpful in establishing monitoring strategies and control strategies for undesirable levels or types of dynamic response, and can help better estimating changes in system characteristics over the life-cycle of the structure.
    Scopus© Citations 30  245
  • Publication
    Dynamic response mitigation of floating wind turbine platforms using tuned liquid column dampers
    In this paper, we experimentally study and compare the effects of three combinations of multiple tuned liquid column dampers (MTLCDs) on the dynamic performance of a model floating tension-leg platform (TLP) structure in a wave basin. The structural stability and safety of the floating structure during operation and maintenance is of concern for the performance of a renewable energy device that it might be supporting. The dynamic responses of the structure should thus be limited for these renewable energy devices to perform as intended. This issue is particularly important during the operation of a TLP in extreme weather conditions. Tuned liquid column dampers (TLCDs) can use the power of sloshing water to reduce surge motions of a floating TLP exposed to wind and waves. This paper demonstrates the potential of MTLCDs in reducing dynamic responses of a scaled TLP model through an experimental study. The potential of using output-only statistical markers for monitoring changes in structural conditions is also investigated through the application of a delay vector variance (DVV) marker for different conditions of control for the experiments.
      358Scopus© Citations 48
  • Publication
    A comprehensive study of the delay vector variance method for quantification of nonlinearity in dynamical systems
    Although vibration monitoring is a popular method to monitor and assess dynamic structures, quantification of linearity or nonlinearity of the dynamic responses remains a challenging problem. We investigate the delay vector variance (DVV) method in this regard in a comprehensive manner to establish the degree to which a change in signal nonlinearity can be related to system nonlinearity and how a change in system parameters affects the nonlinearity in the dynamic response of the system. A wide range of theoretical situations are considered in this regard using a single degree of freedom (SDOF) system to obtain numerical benchmarks. A number of experiments are then carried out using a physical SDOF model in the laboratory. Finally, a composite wind turbine blade is tested for different excitations and the dynamic responses are measured at a number of points to extend the investigation to continuum structures. The dynamic responses were measured using accelerometers, strain gauges and a Laser Doppler vibrometer. This comprehensive study creates a numerical and experimental benchmark for structurally dynamical systems where output-only information is typically available, especially in the context of DVV. The study also allows for comparative analysis between different systems driven by the similar input.
    Scopus© Citations 16  527
  • Publication
    Mitigating the structural vibrations of wind turbines using tuned liquid column damper considering soil-structure interaction
    This paper considers the potential of using a Tuned Liquid Column Damper (TLCD) to reduce structural vibrations of a wind turbine tower. The effect of TLCD on wind turbine towers, including the soil-structure interactions for a monopile foundation was modelled theoretically and scaled laboratory experiments were carried out to validate these results. The tower of the turbine is represented as a Euler beam with a set of springs at the boundary to simulate the soil-structure interaction. TLCD design was carried out using such a model and the reduction in tower vibrations due to the deployment of TLCD was then examined for various loading conditions in the frequency and the time domain. The efficiency of TLCDs for reducing structural vibrations was investigated for tuned and detuned conditions. The response of a small-scale model was simulated along with that of a full-scale turbine and parametric studies around the variations of inputs related to uncertainties were performed. Experiments were carried out on a scaled model turbine to examine the effectiveness of the TLCD. The practicalities of installing a TLCD in a full-scale turbine were examined.
    Scopus© Citations 54  538
  • Publication
    The Hurst exponent as an indicator of the behaviour of a model monopile in an ocean wave testing basin
    With the importance of renewable energy well-established worldwide, and targets of such energy quantified in many cases, there exists a considerable interest in the assessment of wind and wave devices. While the individual components of these devices are often relatively well understood and the aspects of energy generation well researched, there seems to be a gap in the understanding of these devices as a whole and especially in the field of their dynamic responses under operational conditions. The mathematical modelling and estimation of their dynamic responses are more evolved but research directed towards testing of these devices still requires significant attention. Model-free indicators of the dynamic responses of these devices are important since it reflects the as-deployed behaviour of the devices when the exposure conditions are scaled reasonably correctly, along with the structural dimensions. This paper demonstrates how the Hurst exponent of the dynamic responses of a monopile exposed to different exposure conditions in an ocean wave basin can be used as a model-free indicator of various responses. The scaled model is exposed to Froude scaled waves and tested under different exposure conditions. The analysis and interpretation is carried out in a model-free and output-only environment, with only some preliminary ideas regarding the input of the system. The analysis indicates how the Hurst exponent can be an interesting descriptor to compare and contrast various scenarios of dynamic response conditions.
    Scopus© Citations 5  220
  • Publication
    A Delay Vector Variance based Marker for an Output-Only Assessment of Structural Changes in Tension Leg Platforms
    Although aspects of power generation of many offshore renewable devices are well understood, their dynamic responses under high wind and wave conditions are still to be investigated to a great detail. Output only statistical markers are important for these offshore devices, since access to the device is limited and information about the exposure conditions and the true behaviour of the devices are generally partial, limited, and vague or even absent. The markers can summarise and characterise the behaviour of these devices from their dynamic response available as time series data. The behaviour may be linear or nonlinear and consequently a marker that can track the changes in structural situations can be quite important. These markers can then be helpful in assessing the current condition of the structure and can indicate possible intervention, monitoring or assessment. This paper considers a Delay Vector Variance based marker for changes in a tension leg platform tested in an ocean wave basin for structural changes brought about by single column dampers. The approach is based on dynamic outputs of the device alone and is based on the estimation of the nonlinearity of the output signal. The advantages of the selected marker and its response with changing structural properties are discussed. The marker is observed to be important for monitoring the as- deployed structural condition and is sensitive to changes in such conditions. Influence of exposure conditions of wave loading is also discussed in this study based only on experimental data.
      265Scopus© Citations 2
  • Publication
    Effect of Road Surface, Vehicle, and Device Characteristics on Energy Harvesting from Bridge–Vehicle Interactions
    Energy harvesting to power sensors for structural health monitoring (SHM) has received huge attention worldwide. A number of practical aspects affecting energy harvesting and the possibility of health monitoring directly from energy harvesters is investigated here. The key idea is the amount of power received from a damaged and an undamaged structure varying and the signature of such variation can be used for SHM. For this study, a damaged bridge and an undamaged bridge are considered with harvesters located at different positions and the power harvested is accessed numerically to determine how energy harvesting can act as a damage detector and monitor. Bridge–vehicle interaction is exploited to harvest energy. For a damaged bridge, a bilinear breathing crack is considered. Variable surface roughness according to ISO 8606:1995(E) is considered such that the real values can be considered in the simulation. The possibility of a drive-by type health monitoring using energy harvesting is highlighted and the effects of road surface on such monitoring are identified. The sensitivity of the harvester health monitoring to locations and extents of crack damage are reported. This study investigates the effects of multiple harvesters and the effects of vehicular parameters on the harvested power. Continuous harvesting over a length of the bridge is considered semianalytically. A comparison among the numerical simulations, detailed finite element analysis, and experimental results emphasizes the feasibility of the proposed method.
    Scopus© Citations 37  566
  • Publication
    Damage detection and calibration from beam–moving oscillator interaction employing surface roughness
    The possibility of employing bridge deck surface roughness for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) under operational conditions is proposed in this paper. A bilinear breathing crack in a damaged Euler-Bernoulli beam traversed by a moving oscillator is considered in this regard. The Road Surface Roughness (RSR) of the beam is classified as per ISO 8606:1995(E). The interaction of the moving oscillator with surface roughness is exploited to define simple, consistent, easy to implement and robust statistical descriptors to detect and calibrate the existence, the location and the extent of damage. The effects of vehicle speed and variable RSR profiles for such detection are investigated and preferable conditions for detection are identified. The proposed method is also suitable for experimental analysis where a theoretical model is not available or is not credibly ascertained.
      347Scopus© Citations 36
  • Publication
    Robust Skewness-Kurtosis Descriptor for Damping Calibration from Frequency Response
    (ASCE Library, 2013-10) ;
    This paper attempts to define simple, consistent, and robust statistical descriptors for the calibration of damping in linear and nonlinear systems through the frequency response in the presence of variability and uncertainties as a result of noise and sampling intervals. The work uses the frequency response of a linear system and a Duffing oscillator simulating hardening and softening springs. The skewness-kurtosis descriptor was observed to be efficiently calibrating the nature of the system and the extent of damping with robustness against the measurement noise and sampling effects. The descriptors allow rapid computation and can be applied to experimental data without the requirement of assuming a specific underlying model. The findings are general and applicable to a very broad spectrum of linear and nonlinear systems and applications.
    Scopus© Citations 3  297