Application of Elastic Waves and Neural Networks for the Prediction of Forces in Bolts of Flange Connections Subjected to Static Tension Tests.

Piotr Nazarko,Leonard Ziemiański

doi:10.3390/ma13163607

Piotr Nazarko, Leonard Ziemiański

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13163607

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Abstract

There is a group of measurement techniques that can be used in the task of force identification in steel bolts. In this paper, the potential of elastic wave propagation signals was studied for possible application in force monitoring systems. A series of laboratory tests was carried out on flange connections subjected to static tensile tests. Each one contained six screws of the same diameter. Four bolts were equipped with washer load cells. Alternatively, selected bolts were equipped with piezoelectric transducers (actuator and sensor) in order to measure the elastic wave signals. Principal components analysis, time of arrival, and neural network compression were used for dimensionality reduction of the measured signals. Examples of the obtained results with respect to the studied connections show that the tension forces in bolts can be estimated with relatively good accuracy.

Highlights

Measurements of the physical quantities that describe structural elements’ state are significant in many engineering and industrial applications, including civil engineering
The results presented in the article concern a series of laboratory tests carried out on flange connections under tension in a static test machine
Each contained a screw, which was not equipped with a force sensor, but the elastic wave signals were recorded there during a static tensile test

Summary

Introduction

Measurements of the physical quantities that describe structural elements’ state are significant in many engineering and industrial applications, including civil engineering. They are often conducted pending trial loads of new structures and prototype solutions in laboratory tests. This allows a better understanding of the behavior of the entire structure and its individual elements. Non-destructive tests (NDT) and structural health monitoring systems (SHM) are very useful in this task. Their constant use increases the safety and reliability of the structure. There are several tasks that can be carried out with their help [1,2,3,4,5,6]:

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