This paper presents an idea of using carbonized electrospun Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers as a sensor material in a structural health monitoring (SHM) system. The electrospun PAN fibers are lightweight, less costly and do not interfere with the functioning of infrastructure. This study deals with the fabrication of PAN-based nanofibers via electrospinning followed by stabilization and carboniz...

Grid impedance estimation is used in many power system applications such as grid connected renewable energy systems and power quality analysis of smart grids. The grid impedance estimation techniques based on signal injection uses Ohm’s law for the estimation. In these methods, one or several signal(s) is (are) injected to Point of Common Coupling (PCC). Then the current through and voltage of ...

A typical passive mechanical isolation system utilizes a mass-spring-damper as a mechanical filter. Active isolation control systems typically include an electromagnetic transducer to develop the required control forces. In this paper, the technique of sensor-less active shunt control is applied to a mechanical isolation system. An electrical impedance is designed and connected to an electromag...

Piezoelectric ceramic Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) transducers, working on the principle of electromechanical impedance (EMI), are increasingly applied for structural health monitoring (SHM) in aerospace, civil and mechanical engineering. The PZT transducers are usually surface bonded to or embedded in a structure and subjected to actuation so as to interrogate the structure at the desired fre...

The stressful characteristics of commuting constraints are conceptualized in terms of both physical and perceptual conditions of travel impedance. This study develops and operationalizes the concept of subjective impedance, as a complement to our previously developed concept of impedance as a physically defined condition of commuting stress. The stress impacts of high-impedance commuting were e...

Cement-based composites (for example, concrete) are brittle materials that crack when loaded in tension. Current strategies for crack detection are primarily based upon visual inspection by an inspector; such approaches are labor-intensive and expensive. Direly needed are sensors that can be included within a structural health monitoring (SHM) system for automated quantification of crack damage...

Cement-based materials are widely used in the construction of civil infrastructure systems. However, normal wear-and-tear and extreme loading can result in the damage and deterioration of such important civil structures. In this study, a novel approach to the detection of cracks in fiber reinforced cementitious composites (FRCC) is proposed. The approach is based upon the electrical properties ...

Measurement of body composition is an important part of any assessment of health or fitness. Hydrostatic weighing is generally accepted as the most reliable method for the measurement of body fat content, but is inconvenient. Electrical impedance analysers have recently been proposed as an alternative to the measurement of skinfold thickness. Both these latter methods are convenient, but give v...