Method and apparatus for detection of structural failure
First Claim
1. A detection system for identifying deterioration in a structure, comprising:
- a sensor affixed to said structure and detecting a plurality of acoustic emission waves, each corresponding to a deterioration event;
an analysis circuit having a processor receiving signals from said sensor representative of said deterioration events and identifying a corresponding first event rate, and a memory having first and second preselected factors stored therein at least partially defining first, second and third states, said analysis circuit establishing a base rate associated with said first event rate;
said first state defined by an event rate less than said first event rate multiplied by said first preselected factor;
said second state defined by an event rate greater than said first event rate multiplied by said first preselected factor and less than said first event rate multiplied by said second preselected factor;
said third state defined by an event rate greater than at least said first event rate multiplied by said second preselected factor;
said processor comparing a second event rate to said first event rate and correlating said second event rate to at least one of said first, second and third states; and
said processor generating an alarm condition signal upon detection of said second event rate corresponding with said third state occurring for a preselected threshold time.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A detection system for identifying deterioration in a structure is provided that has acoustic sensors that receive acoustic emission waves. The acoustic emission wave detected by the acoustic sensor is identified as a hit. An analysis circuit is present that identifies an A state, a B state, and a C state. The B state has increased hit activity from the A state where a rate B is greater than a rate A by a factor of f1. The C state has increased hit activity from the B state where a rate C is greater than the rate A by a factor of f2. An alarm is activated when an amount of time that the C state is identified as being present reaches a value of TM, or alternatively when a threshold value based upon of the number of hits and time in the C state is reached.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A detection system for identifying deterioration in a structure, comprising:
-
a sensor affixed to said structure and detecting a plurality of acoustic emission waves, each corresponding to a deterioration event; an analysis circuit having a processor receiving signals from said sensor representative of said deterioration events and identifying a corresponding first event rate, and a memory having first and second preselected factors stored therein at least partially defining first, second and third states, said analysis circuit establishing a base rate associated with said first event rate; said first state defined by an event rate less than said first event rate multiplied by said first preselected factor; said second state defined by an event rate greater than said first event rate multiplied by said first preselected factor and less than said first event rate multiplied by said second preselected factor; said third state defined by an event rate greater than at least said first event rate multiplied by said second preselected factor; said processor comparing a second event rate to said first event rate and correlating said second event rate to at least one of said first, second and third states; and said processor generating an alarm condition signal upon detection of said second event rate corresponding with said third state occurring for a preselected threshold time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A detection system for identifying deterioration in a structure, comprising:
-
a sensor that affixed to said structure and detecting a plurality of acoustic emission waves, each corresponding to a deterioration event; an analysis circuit having a processor receiving signals from said sensor representative of said deterioration events and identifying a corresponding first event rate, and a memory having first and second preselected factors stored therein at least partially defining first, second and third states, said analysis circuit establishing a base rate associated with said first event rate; said first state defined by an event rate less than said first event rate multiplied by said first preselected factor; said second state defined by an event rate greater than said first event rate multiplied by said first preselected factor, and less than said first event rate multiplied by said second preselected factor; said third state defined by an event rate greater than at least said first event rate multiplied by said second preselected factor; said processor comparing a second event rate to said first event rate and correlating said second event rate to at least one of said first, second and third states; and said processor calculating a realized area corresponding to a third state time and a third state event rate, wherein said third state time is the length of time said second event rate corresponds with said third state, and said third state event rate is the number of deterioration events detected during said third state time; and said processor comparing said realized area to a predetermined alarm threshold value and generating an alarm condition signal upon detection of said second event rate corresponding with said third state and said realized area is at least equal to said predetermined alarm threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A method for identifying deterioration in a structure and an adjacent matrix, comprising the steps of:
-
affixing at least one sensor to said structure in receiving relation to acoustic emission waves emitted from said structure and said immediately adjacent matrix; detecting said acoustic emission waves at said at least one sensor, each of said acoustic emission waves corresponding to a deterioration event; establishing a first event rate corresponding to a base rate; analyzing a second event rate of said acoustic emission waves detected over time and comparing said second event rate to a first and second preselected factors; identifying a first state defined by an event rate less than said first event rate multiplied by said first preselected factor; identifying a second state defined by an event rate greater than said first event rate multiplied by said first preselected factor, and less than said first event rate multiplied by said second preselected factor; identifying a third state defined by an event rate greater than at least said first event rate multiplied by said second preselected factor; comparing said second event rate to said first event rate and correlating said second event rate to at least one of said first, second and third states; emitting an alert condition signal upon detection of said second event rate corresponding with said second state; and emitting an alarm condition signal upon the earlier of; 1—
detection of said second event rate corresponding with said third state occurring for a preselected threshold time; and2—
detection of said second event rate corresponding with said third state and a realized area is at least equal to a predetermined alarm threshold value;
wherein said realized area corresponds to a third state time and a third state event rate, wherein said third state time is the length of time said second event rate corresponds with said third state, and said third state event rate is the number of deterioration events detected during said third state time.
-
Specification