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Automated Nonlinear Acoustics System for Real-Time Monitoring of Cement-Based Composites.
Theodoti Z Kordatou1, Dimitrios A Exarchos1, Theodore E Matikas1
1Mechanics, Smart Sensors & Nondestructive Evaluation (MSS-NDE) Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, GR-45110 Ioannina, Greece.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 13, 2025
Summary
This study presents an automated nonlinear acoustics system for real-time material evaluation. The platform uses Bulk Wave excitation and Laser Doppler Vibrometry to precisely monitor microstructural changes in cement composites.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Structural Engineering
- Nonlinear Acoustics
Background:
- Automated real-time material evaluation is crucial for structural engineering and infrastructure diagnostics.
- Conventional methods for material assessment often lack sensitivity to early changes and require manual operation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a novel, fully automated nonlinear acoustics monitoring platform for continuous material assessment.
- To enable unsupervised, high-precision monitoring of microstructural evolution in cement-based composites.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Bulk Wave excitation and non-contact Laser Doppler Vibrometry (LDV) for detection.
- Leveraged second and third harmonic generation (β2, β3) as nonlinear indicators.
- Developed specialized LabVIEW-based software for system control and analysis.
Main Results:
- Validated system stability, linearity, and reliability on metallic samples.
- Successfully monitored hydration in cement-based specimens with varying compositions.
- Demonstrated capability to resolve subtle nonlinear responses indicating microstructural changes.
Conclusions:
- The developed system offers enhanced sensitivity, repeatability, and scalability for material monitoring.
- This automated platform is a powerful tool for structural health monitoring and predictive maintenance.
- The nonlinear acoustics approach provides a non-destructive, real-time method for assessing material integrity.
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