Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Ultrasonic Detection Of A Plastic Hinge In Bolted Timber Connections, David Pollock, Donald A. Bender, Don E. Bray, James T P Yao

Faculty Publications - Biomedical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering

Connections between structural members are critical elements that typically govern the performance of structural systems; hence, techniques for monitoring the condition of connections are needed to provide early warning of structural damage. Plastic hinge formation in fasteners frequently occurs in timber connections when the yield capacity is exceeded. An innovative pulse echo testing technique was developed for detecting the formation of a plastic hinge in bolted timber connections and estimating the associated magnitude of connection displacement. A shift in overall signal centroid proved to be the best flTedictor of plastic hinge formation, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9. …