Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Ultrasonic Structural Health Monitoring of Cable Structures

H. SPRENGER, L. GAUL

Abstract


In an effort to detect and localize damages in engineering structures, the research field of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) has emerged rapidly. SHM involves regular evaluation of the structural state by means of integrated actuators and sensors. Among potential damage detection methods, ultrasonic wave-based techniques are widely used because of their versatility and affordability. One target for SHM applications in the realm of civil engineering are cable structures, such as overhead transmission lines and stay cables in bridges. These are subject to static and dynamic loads, aging, corrosion and accidental events. The excitation of ultrasonic waves in cylindrical media generates guided waves, which can propagate long distances. This allows for monitoring large sections of a cable with a single actuator and sensor. On the other hand, guided wave propagation in cylinders is multimodal, which complicates analysis and synthesis of wave motion. This work addresses several aspects of guided wave propagation in cylindrical structures, with the objective of developing an SHM methodology for cable structures.

Full Text:

PDF