SHM with Bendable Metamaterials & Robots  

•Metamaterials are engineered materials with properties not found in nature, and they can improve or replace sensors in biomedical and human health applications.  

(Link to source)

 •Piezoelectric materials have been used in Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace engineering for  25 + years.  

•There's a growing need for SHM equipment to be smaller, automated, and portable.  

•Metamaterial-based SHM can be performed using near-field or far-field setups; near-field setups and portable metamaterial setups are being developed.  

•A novel sensor has been developed to capture and analyze surface/SPP waves.  These are highly bendable.

Annamdas V. G. M. and colleagues extensively explore advanced sensing technologies for structural health monitoring (SHM), with a strong emphasis on piezoelectric and metamaterial-based approaches. A recurring theme is the application of electromechanical impedance (EMI) methods using piezoelectric (PZT) transducers for real-time load and fatigue monitoring in various engineering structures.

Several papers (Annamdas & Soh, 2017, Smart Materials and Structures, Vol 26(4); Annamdas & Soh, 2017, Smart Materials and Structures, Vol 26(1); Annamdas & Soh, 2014; Annamdas et al., 2014, Journal of Nondestructive Evaluation) detail the use of PZT-based impedance techniques for detecting and tracking fatigue growth in welded beams and structures with surface defects. These studies often combine EMI with other monitoring techniques like digital image correlation (DIC) for comprehensive analysis, demonstrating the efficacy of PZT sensors in identifying structural degradation.

A significant portion of the research focuses on the innovative application of metamaterials for contactless and enhanced sensing. Further, their work (Annamdas & Soh, 2018, Springer’s Journal of Nondestructive Evaluation; Annamdas & Soh, 2017, Smart Materials and Structures, Vol 26(1); Annamdas & Soh, 2016, Sensors and Actuators A: Physical) delves into using metamaterial surface plasmons and waveguides for robotic-arm based SHM and contactless load monitoring in the near-field. This highlights a cutting-edge direction for SHM, moving towards more sophisticated and potentially remote sensing capabilities.

The research also addresses the integration of multiple smart materials, as seen in Maheshwari et al. (2017), where fiber-optic sensors and piezo sensors are combined for crack monitoring. This multidisciplinary approach underscores the complexity and breadth of modern SHM. Collectively, these articles showcase Annamdas's significant contributions to advancing SHM technologies, particularly through the novel integration of piezoelectric sensors, metamaterials, and wireless sensor networks for robust and real-time structural assessment.

Link: Experiment related to Loading/Unloading (new sensor adaptation)

Articles:

Annamdas V. G. M and Soh C. K (2018) Application of Metamaterial Surface Plasmon and Waveguide for Robotic- Arm Based Structural Health Monitoring, Springer’s Journal of Nondestructive Evaluation, Vol 37(2) : 34, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10921-018-0490-4

Annamdas V. G. M and Soh C. K (2017) Load monitoring using calibrated piezo diaphragm based impedance strain sensor and wireless sensor network in real time, Smart Materials and Structures, Vol 26(4) : 045036, https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-665X/aa5f40

Annamdas V. G. M and Soh C. K (2017) Evaluation of peak-free electromechanical piezo-impedance and electromagnetic contact sensing using metamaterial surface plasmons for load monitoring, Smart Materials and Structures, Vol 26(1) : 015003 

Annamdas V. G. M, Bhalla S and Soh C. K (2017) Applications of Structural Health Monitoring Technology in Asia, Structural Health Monitoring, Vol. 16(3) 324–346 doi:10.1177/1475921716653278)

 Maheshwari M, Annamdas V. G. M, Pang J. H. L., Asundi A and Tjin S. C. (2017) Crack monitoring using multiple smart materials; fiber-optic sensors & piezo sensors, International Journal of Smart and Nano Materials, Vol 8(1): 41- 55.  http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/19475411.2017.1298220?needAccess=true

Annamdas V. G. M and Soh C. K (2016) “Contactless load monitoring in near-field with surface localized spoof plasmons—A new breed of metamaterials for health of engineering structures”, Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, Volume 244, Pages 156–165 doi:10.1016/j.sna.2016.04.037

Annamdas V. G. M, Chew Y , Pang J. H. L , Hoh H. J, Zhou K and Song B (2014) "Fatigue growth analysis of interacting and merging surface defects using PZT transducer based impedance method and digital image correlation system.", Journal of Nondestructive Evaluation, Volume 33(3), pp 413-426, DOI: 10.1007/s10921-014-0237-9. Publisher: Springer US.

Annamdas V. G. M, Pang J. H. L, Chew Y, Hoh H J, Zhou K and Song B (2014) "Fatigue Monitoring of double surface defects using PZT based Electromechanical Impedance and Digital image correlation methods ", Advanced Materials. Research Vols. 891-892, pp 551-556, Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.891- 892.551 (selected from 11th international congress on fatigue) [ISBN:1662-8985]

 Annamdas V. G. M, Lim S .I, Pang J. H. L and Soh C. K (2014) "Monitoring of fatigue in welded beams using piezoelectric transducer based impedance technique", Journal of Nondestructive Evaluation, Volume 33, Issue 1, pp 124-140, DOI:10.1007/s10921-013-0209-5 Publisher: Springer US,