Victor D Giurgiutiu from Columbia, SC, age 75

In-Situ Structural Health Monitoring, Diagnostics And Prognostics System Utilizing Thin Piezoelectric Sensors
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US Patent:

7024315, Apr 4, 2006
Filed:

Feb 8, 2002
Appl. No.:

10/072644
Inventors:

Victor Giurgiutiu - Columbia SC, US
Assignee:

University of South Carolina - Columbia SC
International Classification:

G01B 3/00
US Classification:

702 33, 702 34, 702 35, 702 36
Abstract:

A method of detecting a damaged feature within a structure includes embedding a plurality of thin piezoelectric ceramic sensors on the structure. A first sensor is excited so that the first sensor produces a responsive signal in the structure. The responsive signal is received at a second sensor. The presence or absence in the received responsive signal of at least one predetermined signal characteristic is determined, where the predetermined signal characteristic is related to existence of the damage feature.

Self-Processing Integrated Damage Assessment Sensor For Structural Health Monitoring
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US Patent:

7174255, Feb 6, 2007
Filed:

Nov 12, 2004
Appl. No.:

10/987765
Inventors:

Victor Giurgiutiu - Columbia SC, US
Buli Xu - West Columbia SC, US
Assignee:

University of South Carolina - Columbia SC
International Classification:

G01H 11/08
G01R 31/08
US Classification:

702 35, 324524
Abstract:

A small, lightweight, portable, and inexpensive self-processing integrated damage assessment sensor (SPIDAS) that may be temporarily or permanently attached to a structure for structural health monitoring is provided. The SPIDAS device employs an electromechanical impedance measuring method to directly measure the high-frequency local impedance spectrum of the structure, process the electromechanical impedance data, and issue structural health reports that the device may transmit over a wireless connection.

Structural Health Monitoring Apparatus And Methodology
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US Patent:

7881881, Feb 1, 2011
Filed:

Aug 12, 2009
Appl. No.:

12/539986
Inventors:

Victor Giurgiutiu - Columbia SC, US
Lingyu Yu - Columbia SC, US
Giola Santoni Bottai - Columbia SC, US
Assignee:

University of South Carolina - Columbia SC
International Classification:

G06F 19/00
US Classification:

702 39
Abstract:

Disclosed is an apparatus and methodology for structural health monitoring (SHM) in which smart devices interrogate structural components to predict failure, expedite needed repairs, and thus increase the useful life of those components. Piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) are applied to or integrated with structural components and various data collected there from provide the ability to detect and locate cracking, corrosion, and disbanding through use of pitch-catch, pulse-echo, electro/mechanical impedance, and phased array technology. Stand alone hardware and an associated software program are provided that allow selection of multiple types of SHM investigations as well as multiple types of data analysis to perform a wholesome investigation of a structure.

Piezoelectric Sensors
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US Patent:

8102101, Jan 24, 2012
Filed:

Jan 26, 2009
Appl. No.:

12/359486
Inventors:

Victor Giurgiutiu - Columbia SC, US
James R. Kendall - New Orleans LA, US
Assignee:

University of South Carolina - Columbia SC
International Classification:

H01L 41/08
US Classification:

310365, 310320, 310321, 310322, 310336, 31032321, 7351434, 324633
Abstract:

A piezoelectric sensor having a plurality of electrodes deposited on a single surface of the dielectric medium is generally provided. The plurality of electrodes can define a plurality of square-shaped electrodes forming a grid on the first surface of the dielectric medium while the second electrode defines a continuous electrode. An electrode border surrounding the plurality of electrodes can be deposited on the first surface of the dielectric medium. Alternatively, the plurality of electrodes can define column-shaped electrodes, while the second electrode defines a plurality of row-shaped electrodes separated by etchings. The direction of orientation of each column-shaped electrode and the direction of orientation of each row-shaped electrode can be substantially perpendicular. A method of making a piezoelectric sensor is also provided.

Structural Health Monitoring System Utilizing Guided Lamb Waves Embedded Ultrasonic Structural Radar
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US Patent:

20050228597, Oct 13, 2005
Filed:

Jun 16, 2003
Appl. No.:

10/462583
Inventors:

Victor Giurgiutiu - Columbia SC, US
Jingjing Bao - Columbia SC, US
Andrei Zagrai - Jersey City NJ, US
International Classification:

G01B005/28
US Classification:

702035000, 702036000, 702039000, 702159000
Abstract:

A method and device for performing ultrasonic damage detection in a thin-wall structure using an array of embedded Piezoelectric Wafer Active Sensors (PWAS) for the transmission and reception of guided waves and a signal processing methodology based on the beamforming process. The beamforming signal processing has been adapted to the specifics of guided elastic waves traveling in thin-wall structures.

Automatic Signal Collection And Analysis For Piezoelectric Wafer Active Sensor
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US Patent:

20080288184, Nov 20, 2008
Filed:

Aug 5, 2005
Appl. No.:

11/659071
Inventors:

Victor Giurgiutiu - Columbia SC, US
Buli Xu - West Columbia SC, US
Weiping Liu - West Columbia SC, US
Assignee:

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA - Columbia SC
International Classification:

G01B 5/28
US Classification:

702 35, 702 39
Abstract:

Disclosed is an apparatus and methodology for monitoring the health of a structure. Apparatus and methodologies are disclosed for applying a controlled signal sequence to an array of piezoelectric wafer active sensors and for analyzing echo returns from the applied signals to determine the health of the monitored structure. The applied signal may take on certain characteristics including being provided as a specially tailored chirp signal to compensate for non-linear characteristics of the monitored structure.

Optimized Embedded Ultrasonics Structural Radar System With Piezoelectric Wafer Active Sensor Phased Arrays For In-Situ Wide-Area Damage Detection
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US Patent:

20090048789, Feb 19, 2009
Filed:

Apr 11, 2008
Appl. No.:

12/101447
Inventors:

Lingyu Yu - Columbia SC, US
Victor Giurgiutiu - Columbia SC, US
Assignee:

University of South Carolina - Columbia SC
International Classification:

G01B 5/28
G01N 29/04
US Classification:

702 39, 73625
Abstract:

The present subject matter is direct to apparatus and methodologies for performing omnidirectional (360) damage detection in a thin-wall structure using a planar embedded piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) phased array. Virtual beamforming for the array is implemented through either a transmission process by selective energizing selected sensors or by a signal post-processing procedure. Sensors may be embedded in a thin-walled structure as planar or circular arrays to achieve omnidirectional damage detection.

Nano-Pwas: Structurally Integrated Thin-Film Active Sensors For Structural Health Monitoring
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US Patent:

20100132469, Jun 3, 2010
Filed:

Dec 1, 2009
Appl. No.:

12/628363
Inventors:

Victor Giurgiutiu - Columbia SC, US
Bin Lin - Columbia SC, US
Assignee:

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA - Columbia SC
International Classification:

G01N 29/04
H01P 11/00
H01R 43/00
US Classification:

73628, 29600, 29825, 977953
Abstract:

In an exemplary configuration, a system for structural health monitoring is provided. The system includes a battery-less nano-PWAS device, the device comprising an array of nano-PWAS transducers and a tag antenna.