A high-sensitivity rotatable 3D displacement sensor.

Area of Science:

• Structural Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Traditional 3D displacement monitoring of seismic isolation bearings suffers from low sensitivity and accuracy.
• The displacement transfer mechanism in multi-sensor setups negatively impacts measurement precision.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-sensitivity, rotatable 3D displacement sensor for seismic isolation bearings.
• To overcome limitations of existing sensors and improve 3D displacement measurement accuracy.

Main Methods:

• Designed a sensor with an equal-strength cantilever beam featuring through holes to increase bending strain and sensitivity.
• Integrated a gyroscope and mechanical rotation structure for single-sensor 3D displacement measurement.
• Utilized ANSYS software for simulation and optimization of the through-hole parameters.

Main Results:

• The developed sensor achieved a sensitivity of 16.29 mV/mm and an accuracy of 0.9% within a 0-160 mm range.
• Static and dynamic 3D spatial displacement measurement errors were less than 2 mm.
• The sensor meets the required sensitivity and accuracy for structural health monitoring.

Conclusions:

• The proposed rotatable 3D displacement sensor effectively addresses the limitations of conventional methods.
• The sensor design enhances sensitivity and accuracy, crucial for effective structural health monitoring of seismic isolation bearings.