Abstract
Bolted joints are widely used in mechanical and architectural structures. However, many serious accidents occur because of loosening in bolted joints. The conventional methods of the bolt loosening inspection require the use of special measurement equipment and human operation. It is difficult to conduct inspections in dangerous places, such as atomic power plants, space stations and bridges. In this study, a smart washer was proposed to detect the bolt loosening without human involvement and to achieve continuous monitoring. The smart washer that consists of the flexible cantilever enables to detect bolt loosening by using self-sensing and actuation functions of piezoelectric material. The remote health monitoring system using the smart washer. The subject of this paper is the energy harvesting method for the health monitoring system by using the smart washer. This paper describes a design method of the smart washer in consideration for piezoelectric vibration power generation by using flutter phenomenon.
