Self-powered Multi-parameter Wireless Sensor Network for 5XXX-Series Aluminum Alloy Structural Health Monitoring

5XXX-series aluminum alloys have high strength-to-weight ratios, good as-welded strength and excellent corrosion resistance; they are used as new structural materials in Navy ships. Sensitization in 5XXX aluminum alloys is a problem characterized by the formation of beta phase (Al3Mg2) at grain boundaries, which increases the susceptibility of alloys to intergranular corrosion (IGC) and intergranular stress-corrosion cracking (IGSCC). The current method for quantifying the Degree of Sensitization (DoS) of AA5XXX alloys is the ASTM G67 Nitric Acid Mass Loss Test. However, this method is destructive and time-consuming. To validate the models for determining and predicting structural health and to alert the platform operators of potentially disabling or damaging events as soon as possible, a method for real-time monitoring of DoS and related physical property degradations, along with the measurements of environmental conditions should be developed. To address this challenge, Intelligent Automation, Inc. (IAI) along with Prof. Robert B. Pond, Jr. from Loyola College propose to develop a self-powered multi-parameter wireless smart sensor network (Wi-DoS) for real-time monitoring the DoS and the environmental conditions. The key innovation of this effort is the combination of the ultrasonic DoS and multi-parameter environmental measurement, IAI"s wireless smart sensor network platform, and energy harvesting technologies.