EXtraordinary TRansduction via Elastic MEtasurfaces

In this project we propose to design active and nonlinear metamaterials to explore new fundamentals of wave elastodynamics and realize metasurface-enhanced modular transducers able to perform analog tasks that are functional for SHM and NDT, such as enhanced sensing and signal processing. To this end, novel analytical and numerical methods, optimization procedures, and multi-physics modeling will be proposed and validated following rigorous tabletop experiments. In the first part of the project ad-hoc analytical tools will be developed to grasp the complex dynamic response of nonlinear, active, and topological metasurfaces. Later, high fidelity and reduced-order models will be implemented to guide the design of time modulations, nonlinearities, and topologically non-trivial structures. These designs will be embedded in a modular transducer able to (i) efficiently harvest energy from the ambient vibrations (harvesting module); (ii) generate and sense a guided wave with desired directionality and frequency of operation (communication module); (iii) perform analogical signal processing tasks thus limiting the need for digital-to-analog signal transformation (signal processing module). To realize these modules, we will make use of piezoelectric materials, which are excellent candidates for their energy harvesting, actuation, and sensing capabilities. Our research is pointing toward the paradigm of the “smart city”, where networks of smart transducers can be employed to collect data and, at the same time, analyze and monitor the conditions of structures and engineering components.

Reference site

https://site.unibo.it/extreme/en

Project partners

Università di Bologna
Politecnico di Milano

UNIBO research team

Research area

Structures: methodologies for the diagnostics, analysis, monitoring and reinforcement of existing structures