Life Prediction Of Structures Research Articles

Distributed Embedded System for Multiparametric Assessment of Infrastructure Durability Using Electrochemical Techniques

We present an autonomous system that remotely monitors the state of reinforced concrete structures. This system performs real-time follow-up of the corrosion rate of rebars (iCORR), along with other relevant parameters such as temperature, corrosion potential (ECORR), and electrical resistance of concrete (RE), at many of a structure’s control points by using embedded sensors. iCORR is obtained by applying a novel low-stress electrochemical polarization technique to corrosion sensors. The custom electronic system manages the sensor network, consisting of a measurement board per control point connected to a central single-board computer in charge of processing measurement data and uploading results to a server via 4G connection. In this work, we report the results obtained after implementing the sensor system into a reinforced concrete wall, where two well-differentiated representative areas were monitored. The obtained corrosion parameters showed consistent values. Similar conclusions are obtained with ECORR recorded in rebars. With the iCORR follow-up, the corrosion penetration damage diagram is built. This diagram is particularly useful for identifying critical events during the corrosion propagation period and to be able to estimate structures’ service life. Hence, the system is presented as a useful tool for the structural maintenance and service life predictions of new structures.

Investigation of the mechanical and durability properties of concrete containing modified fly ash and modified zeolite powder: An effective transport model for sulfate ions in concrete

The application of conventional fly ash and zeolite powder in the field of concrete durability is limited. In this study, durability tests coupling dry-wet cycling and sulfate erosion were conducted on concrete with varying dosages of modified fly ash (MFA) and modified zeolite powder (MZP). The compressive strength, failure mode, water absorption rate, and ion concentration changes were systematically investigated. The reaction products and structure were analyzed through SEM, EDS, and XRD tests, correlating with macroscopic parameters. An effective transport model for sulfate ions in concrete was established, considering the material influence coefficient km and the effective diffusion coefficient De. The results indicate that a higher content of Ca phases in MFA leads to a reduction in concrete early strength, while later stages exhibit rapid strength growth due to pozzolanic reactions. MZP contains a significant amount of Al and Si phases, which promote both early and later-stage concrete strength. MFA and MZP enhance the resistance of concrete to sulfate erosion, with MZP exhibiting a significantly superior improvement effect compared to MFA. This is attributed to the following factors: on the one hand, the addition of MFA and MZP reduces the porosity and improves the pore structure of concrete, thus delaying the diffusion of sulfate ions into the concrete; on the other hand, the pozzolanic reactions of MFA and MZP consume available calcium hydroxide, leading to the formation of C–S–H and C-A-S-H gels, which densify the microstructure and reduce the probability of leaching erosion of hydration products, thereby limiting the formation of ettringite. The applicability and reliability of the sulfate-ion effective transport model were verified based on experimental data. The model can be employed to predict the distribution of sulfate ions in different types of concrete under various erosion durations, reducing workload and providing a theoretical basis for the durability design and service life prediction of concrete structures in sulfate environments.

A simplified fatigue model for CFRP-strengthened RC beams under the coupling action of a hot–wet/saline environment and cyclic loading

Reinforced concrete (RC) structures in subtropical coastal areas are subjected to the combined influences of temperature, humidity, and salt exposure. Previous studies on the fatigue failure of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)-RC structures did not consider the coupling effect of the environment and loading. In this study, a simplified hot–wet/saline environmental fatigue model was developed to consider the linear influence of environmental parameters, including temperature, humidity, and salinity. Then, a closed environmental box was self-designed to provide the temperature–saline environment. By simulating a subtropical coastal environment with typical salinity levels (0, 3, and 5 wt% NaCl) and temperatures (10, 35, and 50 °C), fatigue tests were conducted on 38 typical carbon fiber-reinforced polymer–RC beams. In assessing the simplified model’s predictive accuracy, the average errors for estimating the fatigue limits and lives in the validation groups with or without saline conditions were 4.1 % and 33.7 %, respectively. The simplified model indicated that higher unit temperature and humidity similarly reduced the fatigue limit and that higher salinity decreased the fatigue limit by approximately 7.2 times greater than temperature or humidity. This research provides valuable insights into the strength design and life prediction of RC structures in the offshore or subsea regions of subtropical coastal areas.

Data-driven online prediction of remaining fatigue life of a steel plate based on nonlinear ultrasonic monitoring

Online monitoring fatigue damage and remaining fatigue life (RFL) prediction of engineering structures are essential to ensure safety and reliability. A data-driven online prediction method based on nonlinear ultrasonic monitoring was developed to predict the RFL of the structures in real-time. Nonlinear ultrasonic parameters were obtained to monitoring the fatigue degradation. A Bayesian framework was employed to continuously compute and update the RFL distributions of the structures. Nonlinear ultrasonic experiments were performed on the fatigue damaged Q460 steel to validate the developed prediction methodology. The result indicates that the developed method has high prediction accuracy and can provide effective information for subsequent decision-making.

Crack propagation simulation and overload fatigue life prediction via enhanced physics-informed neural networks

The fatigue crack growth simulation and life prediction of structures are implemented in this paper based on the physics-informed neural networks (PINNs). Firstly, the enhanced PINNs are proposed by introducing the crack tip asymptotic displacement fields, so that the crack tip stress intensity factors can be calculated accurately even when the number of collocation points is small and the distribution grid is regular. The enhanced PINNs essentially transform the solution of elastic body containing crack into the optimization of minimizing the constructed loss functions, and can invert the fracture parameters. Then, an automatic crack propagation simulation method is developed based on the enhanced PINNs. The network architecture and the overall node distribution can be unchanged during the crack propagation process, and only new crack surfaces need to be processed and corresponding loss functions need to be modified. Because the nodal refinement around crack-tip is not required, this simulation method is convenient and can accurately predict the mixed-mode crack propagation path. Finally, the fatigue crack growth life algorithm considering overload is developed, where the effect of each overload can be captured by the cycle-by-cycle method. Based on this algorithm, the retardation behavior can be characterized and the fatigue life of structure under the load spectrum with periodic overloads can be accurately predicted. The sufficient examples are given to verify the feasibility and accuracy of the method proposed in this paper.

Study on time range of definite integral in derivation process of chloride ion diffusion theoretical model of concrete

In the study of the durability of concrete structures, the chloride ion diffusion coefficient (Dt) is a key parameter that directly affects the prediction of concrete's service life. This study aims to explore the relationship between the chloride ion diffusion coefficient in concrete and the "curing age (tref)" and "exposure time (t)." By conducting long-term curing and seawater exposure experiments on three different mixes of high-performance concrete samples, we collected experimental data with a curing age of 3 years and a seawater exposure time of 4.5 years. Through in-depth analysis of these data, we found that there is a significant power function relationship between the chloride ion diffusion coefficient and exposure time, while the relationship with curing age is not significant. This finding suggests that in the derivation of the concrete chloride ion diffusion theory model, the time range of the definite integral of Dt should be from 0 to t, rather than from tref to tref+t. Furthermore, we have validated the concrete life prediction model using actual data from the Swedish Marine Exposure Station, further confirming the accuracy and reliability of our research results. This study provides a more scientific and accurate theoretical basis for the durability assessment and service life prediction of concrete structures.

Fatigue life estimation of nickel-based single crystal superalloy with different inclined film cooling holes: Initial damage quantification and coupling of damage-fracture mechanics models

Quantitative assessment of the initial damage state of a structure and fatigue life prediction on this basis, especially when it is sensitive to manufacturing quality, is crucial for both engineering application and material science. Traditional solutions based on fracture or damage mechanics either require precise constitutive relationships and cumbersome physical mechanism models or simply ignore the initial damage state. This study developed a novel equivalent initial flaw size (EIFS) quantitative evaluation method for film cooling holes in Nickel-based single crystal superalloy turbine blades to address the strong correlation between the initial damage in and fatigue life of the material. The temperature and stress field differences at the edges of holes with different inclination angles were simulated using a solid-liquid-gas three-phase level-set model and considered to represent the same initial damage. Next, the coupled damage–fracture mechanics model was used to achieve equivalent crack insertion, crack propagation, and fatigue life prediction based on the EIFS. The results indicate that this method can provide a highly robust EIFS distribution interval and that the crack geometry correction factor and EIFS distribution range are weakly correlated with the loading conditions (with an error within 2 %). The EIFS-based fatigue life predictions demonstrated a notable degree of accuracy, with the majority of the predicted and experimental fatigue lives falling within a three-fold dispersion band and all predictions remaining confined within a five-fold dispersion band of the actual lifetime. These results represent a substantial advancement in accuracy compared to traditional damage mechanics predictions. Therefore, this study provides a powerful approach for evaluating the fatigue life of turbine blades considering the initial damage state and can be widely applied to guide drilling process optimization and blade fatigue analysis.

Thermal corrosion fatigue crack growth behavior and life prediction of 304SS pipeline structures in high temperature pressurized water

The influence of transient water temperature changes on the fatigue crack growth behavior of 304SS pipeline structures was studied based on high-throughput testing method through the modification of dual loop circulating water equipment. Results demonstrated that the fatigue crack growth rate gradually decreased with the decrease of cooling rate, and the crack growth rate was exponentially related to the cooling rate. Both the base material and weld of the stepped pipe showed a transgranular cracking mode, and propagated continuously by slip-oxidation mechanism. Compared with the fine equiaxed grain of the base material, the grain in the weld was coarse and the residual strain was large, and the crack growth rate of the weld was obviously higher. Then, the thermal fatigue crack growth rate model for stepped pipes was established by combining finite element thermo-mechanical coupling simulation and three-dimensional crack propagation analysis software, and the model was modified based on the experimental results.

Summary of Durability Analysis of Concrete Structures

The service life of concrete is closely related to the durability of concrete structure, with the development of infrastructure construction in our country, more and more attention has been paid to the study on the durability of concrete structure. This paper mainly analyzes the relevant factors affecting the durability of concrete structures, such as sulfate corrosion, chlorine salt corrosion, steel corrosion and concrete carbonization. At the same time, this paper studies from the perspective of life prediction of concrete structure to provide some reference for durability design of concrete structure.

Unusual Fatigue Crack Growth Behavior of Long Cracks at Low Stress Intensity Factor Ranges.

In this article, we characterize and review the unusual lack of threshold in fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior for some alloys at low values of stress intensity factor ranges ΔK and its implications to damage-tolerant design approaches. This unusual behavior was first observed by Marci in 1996 in IMI 834 alloy. Conventional applications of linear elastic fracture mechanics to FCG analysis at constant R-ratio (or Kmax) assumes that (da/dN) decreases monotonically with decreasing ΔK and approaches the threshold value of ΔKth with (da/dN) ≤ 10-7 mm/cycle for a given R (or Kmax). However, instead of ΔK threshold behavior, some materials exhibit plateau or acceleration in da/dN rate with decreasing ΔK for long cracks tested in both constant R and Kmax conditions. This unusual (da/dN)-ΔK behavior is only observed experimentally but not understood and represents a challenge to scientists and engineers to model the safe fatigue life prediction of structures under low amplitude vibrating loads.

A phase-field fatigue fracture model considering the thickness effect

Modern aero-engine turbine structures often have variable-thickness geometries (e.g., turbine structures with complex cooling systems) that pose a significant challenge to crack analysis. The phase-field fracture method is a numerical method that has recently received considerable attention. However, phase-field fatigue fracture models that consider the effect of thickness are still lacking. To address this problem, this paper proposes a modification of the fracture toughness in the phase-field fatigue model by introducing a relationship function between material fracture toughness and thickness (Gc-B curve). We use reference experimental data to fit the Gc-B curve of GH4169 and predict the fracture toughness of specimens with other thicknesses. The predictions of the proposed model agree well with the experimental results reported in the literature. This achievement contributes significantly to the structural safety design and life prediction of aero-engine components.

Damage-Accumulation-Induced Crack Propagation and Fatigue Life Analysis of a Porous LY12 Aluminum Alloy Plate.

Rivets are usually used to connect the skin of an aircraft with joints such as frames and stringers, so the skin of the connection part is a porous structure. During the service of the aircraft, cracks appear in some difficult-to-detect parts of the skin porous structure, which causes great difficulties in the service life prediction and health monitoring of the aircraft. In this paper, a secondary development subroutine in PYTHON based on ABAQUS-XFEM is compiled to analyze the cracks that are difficult to monitor in the porous structure of aircraft skin joints. The program can automatically analyze the stress intensity factor of the crack tip with different lengths in the porous structure, and then the residual fatigue life can be deduced. For the sake of safety, the program adopts a more conservative algorithm. In comparison with the physical fatigue test results, the fatigue life of the simulation results is 16% smaller. This project provides a feasible simulation method for fatigue life prediction of porous structures. It lays a foundation for the subsequent establishment of digital twins for damage monitoring of aircraft porous structures.

Structural Analysis and Service Life Prediction of Rubberized Thin Surfacing Hot Mix Asphalt

Rubberized thin surfacing hot mix asphalt (RTSHMA) is a type of flexible pavement that is currently being developed. It can provide the same good performance as asphalt concrete–wearing course (AC-WC). Based on previous research, the use of crumb rubber in the asphalt mixture can provide several advantages, such as increasing the flexibility of the mix so that the pavement is more resistant to cracking. Based on research showing the advantages of rubberized asphalt, the idea emerged to apply it in the field, namely on the Palur–Sragen City Boundary section as wearing course. The method of analysis in this study was modeling the pavement structure with the KENPAVE and BISAR 3.0 programs. The analysis results showed that the AC-WC model and RTSHMA model have the same good performance because both of them have a service life of more than twenty years, which is the standard for flexible pavements. However, RTSHMA has an advantage, i.e., the thickness layer is 25% thinner than AC-WC’s. With a thinner layer than AC-WC but the same good performance, RTSHMA is worth considering as an alternative pavement, especially for overlays.

Life prediction and optimal design of flange structure of tire unloader

Life prediction and optimal design of flange structure of tire unloader

A new mesoscopic calculation model of chloride ion erosion in recycled coarse aggregate concrete (RAC): Characteristic fractal dimension of pore structure and service life prediction

This research investigates the influence of water-cement ratio and recycled aggregate content on the chlorine erosion resistance of RAC by conducting a combination of experimental and theoretical analysis. In addition, a mathematical equation is developed to represent the chloride ion transport mechanism in RAC, taking into account fluid mechanics, energy conservation, and pore structure evolution characteristics. Furthermore, mathematical analysis and modeling are used to forecast the life of the chloride ion erosion process. The results show that both the recycled coarse aggregate replacement rate and the water-cement ratio adversely affect the chloride erosion resistance of RAC. The chloride diffusion coefficient model based on pore structure characteristic parameters exhibits high prediction accuracy. This model helps increase the use of recycled aggregates and fosters the growth of the circular economy in the construction industry sector by offering a theoretical foundation for evaluating and maintaining the durability of RAC.

Spacecraft Segment Damage Identification Method Based on Fiber Optic Strain Difference Field Reconstruction and Norm Calculation

Real-time online identification of spacecraft segment damage is of great significance for realizing spacecraft structural health monitoring and life prediction. In this paper, a damage response characteristic field inversion algorithm based on the differential reconstruction of strain response is proposed to solve the problem of not being able to recognize the small damages of spacecraft structure directly by the strain response alone. Four crack damage location identification methods based on vector norm computation are proposed, which realize online identification and precise location of structural damage events without external excitation by means of spacecraft structural working loads only. A spacecraft segment structural damage monitoring system based on fiber optic grating sensors was constructed, and the average error of damage localization based on the curvature vector 2 norm calculation was 2.58 mm, and the root-mean-square error was 1.98 mm. The results show that the method has superior engineering applicability for on-orbit service environments.

Fatigue failure mechanism of duplex stainless steel welded joints including role of heterogeneous cyclic hardening/softening: Experimental and modeling

This work performed experimental and modeling investigations on the fatigue failure mechanism of duplex stainless steel welded joints, and the correlation among heterogeneous microstructure, cyclic hardening/softening and fatigue failure behavior was analyzed extensively. A series of experiments including the characterization of microstructure by the electron back-scattered diffraction observation and fatigue mechanical tests assisted by digital image correlation technique were performed. The results show that at the lower stress amplitudes (approximately 520 MPa), the fatigue failure occurred in the weld metal, while it shifted to the base metal at higher amplitudes. Due to the grain refinement, the strain amplitude of weld metal was lower than that of base metal, particularly at the higher amplitudes, leading to the final failure at the base metal. However, at the lower amplitudes, due to the effect of Kurdjumov-Sachs orientation relationship at the weld metal, its cyclic softening behavior was much drastic than that of base metal, resulting in the overshoot of strain amplitude during fatigue process and finial rupture at the weld metal. A cyclic constitutive model was developed by considering the amplitude-dependent and heterogeneous cyclic hardening/softening, to accurately predict the cyclic mechanical response and fatigue failure location for both stress-controlled and strain-controlled conditions. This work can be used as guidance of structure integrity assessment and life prediction for the engineering components of duplex stainless steel.

Investigation of fatigue damage of new-old concrete interface based on piezomagnetic effect

Prefabricated concrete structures that employ wet connections create a new-old concrete interface between the pre-cast and cast-in-place layers. To enhance interfacial bonding performance in practical engineering, steel shear keys are frequently employed. The performance of the new-old concrete interface is critical in determining the fatigue performance of prefabricated concrete structures. Therefore, detecting and monitoring interface fatigue damage is essential for the life prediction and damage assessment of the entire structure. This study measured and analysed the piezomagnetic signal of the new-old concrete interface with shear keys under both static and cyclic loads. The piezomagnetic induction intensity was studied based on multiple damage indicators, such as steel strain and interface deformation. The relationship between the piezomagnetic signal and interface fatigue damage was analysed. The magneto-mechanical effect, dislocation effect, and magnetic leakage effect govern the piezomagnetic field change in different fatigue stages. It is found that the piezomagnetic signal exhibits similarities with conventional fatigue damage indicators, undergoing a three-stage variation pattern. Moreover, it demonstrates greater sensitivity to stress loading history and can better reflect the evolution of microstructural defects within the material. Finally, a simulated model of the magnetisation of the shear key at the new-old concrete interface was established and validated.

Digital twin-driven fatigue life prediction framework of mechanical structures using a power density theory: Application to off-road vehicle front axle housing

Accurate fatigue life prediction is beneficial for fatigue maintenance of complex mechanical structures of off-road vehicles. For fatigue life prediction of mechanical structures subjected to non-stationary random loads during operation, this paper proposes a digital twin-driven fatigue life prediction method for mechanical structures. The core consists of improved fatigue theory, stress online measurement, and fatigue damage verification. In this study, a digital twin (DT) prediction framework containing multiple correction factors is established, in which the actual stress values in the physical world and the stress predictions of the estimated twin model can be obtained in real time. The remaining strength degradation of the structure and material can be compared to correct the prediction accuracy of fatigue analysis. In addition, based on the power density theory, combined with the short-time Fourier transform, a fatigue life analysis method that can comprehensively calculate the effect of load amplitude and frequency on fatigue is proposed. A test case has been demonstrated using a front axle housing of the off-road vehicle. The difference between the results predicted by the method in this paper and the actual fatigue results in failure time is only 2.65 h, with a relative error of only 3.95 %. In terms of failure location, the relative error is only 3.15 %.

A comprehensive assessment of durability and service life prediction of concrete structures in the simulated tidal zone of the South China Sea considering measures to enhance concrete durability

The island and reef area in the South China Sea is characterized by high temperature, high salinity, high humidity and windiness, which can accelerate the deterioration of concrete structures, requiring some measures to improve the durability of concrete. To improve the poor durability of concrete structures in the tidal zone of island and reef area in the South China Sea, the influence of multiple factors on concrete structures is investigated. The tests of mass, ultrasonic velocity, flexural strength and chloride ion content are used to analyze the deterioration of concrete and the service life of concrete structures. The results show that the performance of concrete under the simulated tidal environment of island and reef area is enhanced first and then attenuated, and the relationship of the mass retention, relative dynamic elastic modulus and strength retention between any two parameters is linear. Compared with concrete with a water cement ratio of 0.53 (C(-0.53)) in the paper, the deterioration degrees of C(-0.53) with calcium nitrite (CN), C(-0.53) with amino alcohol corrosion inhibitor (AA), C(-0.53) with hydrophobic pore-blocking ingredient corrosion inhibitor (HPA), C(-0.53) with salt crystallization inhibition (UMP), concrete with a water cement ratio of 0.31 (C-0.31) and concrete with a water cement ratio of 0.26 (C-0.26) decrease by 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 1.8%, 4.5% and 9.1% respectively. In addition, compared with only chloride diffusion coefficient, the multiparameter evaluation is more suitable for the chloride diffusion behavior in concrete under the simulated tidal environment of island and reef area. Compared with C(-0.53), the service life of CN, AA, HPA, UMP, C-0.31 and C-0.26 increase by at least 1.3 times, 1.9 times, 1.7 times, 6.7 times, 3.3 times and 5.5 times respectively. This study provides theoretical guidance and technical support for the durability of island and reef engineering.