Abstract
The structural integrity of steel bolted joints may be compromised due to excessive loading. Therefore, condition assessment and the detection of potential defects before they cause a failure have become a major issue. The paper is focused on the condition monitoring of a bolted lap joint subjected to progressive degradation in a tensile test. The inspection used Lamb waves propagated through the overlap area. Wave propagation signals were registered automatically by means of piezoelectric transducers. Two damage indices were defined based on linear and nonlinear features of Lamb waves. The use of a network of piezoelectric transducers and the analysis of multiple signals instead of single ones was proved to effectively monitor the state of the bolted joint. The obtained results showed that the method enabled to detect selected stages of the degradation process and to characterize the reduction of the contact area between the plates in the overlap area.
Highlights
Bolted lap joints are widely used to assemble metal or composite elements in mechanical and civil engineering structures
A lap joint can be damaged as a result of fastener failure or rupture in the connected plates
One of the most effective approaches is based on the phenomenon of ultrasonic wave propagation
Summary
Bolted lap joints are widely used to assemble metal or composite elements in mechanical and civil engineering structures. The structural integrity of such connections may be compromised due to excessive loading. A lap joint can be damaged as a result of fastener failure (self-loosening of a bolt [1], fracture of a bolt [2]) or rupture in the connected plates (net-tension failure, cleavage failure, shear-out failure, tearing failure, and bearing failure [3,4,5]). In order to improve the safety and reliability of bolted connections, a variety of different non-destructive techniques have been developed, including vision-based methods [6,7,8], impedance-based methods [9,10,11], and vibration-based methods [12,13]. Yang and Chang [14,15]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
