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Method and device for actuating and sensing highly nonlinear solitary waves in surfaces, structures, and materials
University of Pittsburgh
posted on 01/14/2010
The proposed technology focuses on the development of an innovative method and related instrumentation for the early detection of structural deficiencies.
Suggested Uses
- Structural testing based on the generation of stress waves by means of mechanical impactors
- Structural testing based upon global vibration
Advantages
- Larger tunability range of the frequency, amplitude and velocity of the induced pulses resulting in a broader range of sizes of detectable cracks, defects, inclusions in a material (multiscale defects sensitivity);
- Enhanced repeatability of the measurements, improving the instruments reliability and avoiding the required high operator skills of the currently used methods;
- Simpler and more scalable design of the instruments (wave actuators and sensors) to different dimension (versatility on applications);
- Reduced power requirements characteristics of the instruments;
- Significantly reduced cost of assembling and manufacturing of the process components, sensors and actuators (~2 orders of magnitude lower than the commercially available impact hammers).
Detailed Description
The project leverages on the recent discovery of a new class of highly nonlinear solitary waves (HNSWs), which can form and travel in highly nonlinear systems (i.e. granular, layered, fibrous or porous materials). Compared to conventional stress waves used in the existing (sonic-, ultrasonic-, impact-based) technology, HNSWs offer significantly higher tunability in terms of wavelength, wave speed (proportional to the wave amplitude and to the materials properties), number of generated pulses, and amplitude control in a simple and reproducible experimental setup that can be adjusted at will.
File Number: 1635
This innovation currently is not available for online licensing. Please contact Brian Copple at University of Pittsburgh for more information.
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