According to one implementation, a structural health monitoring system includes an ultrasonic transducer, an ultrasonic sensor, a strain sensor and a signal processing part. The ultrasonic transducer oscillates an ultrasonic wave to the first inspection area. The ultrasonic sensor detects a waveform of at least one of a transmission wave of the ultrasonic wave and a reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave. The transmission wave has transmitted the first inspection area. The reflected wave has been reflected in the first inspection area. The strain sensor detects a strain amount of the second inspection area. The signal processing part obtains at least one index, representing health of the structural object including the first inspection area and the second inspection area, based on the waveform detected by the ultrasonic sensor and the strain amount detected by the strain sensor.

A method for analyzing material wear in a hydrocarbon production environment is disclosed. The method includes the steps of preparing a sample of material to be disposed proximate the hydrocarbon production environment; selecting a placement location for the sample of material, wherein the placement location is in fluid communication with a fluid flow for which the impact of the fluid flow on the sample of material is to be tested; disposing the sample of material in the placement location for a pre-determined amount of time; allowing the sample of material to be exposed to the fluid flow; retrieving the sample of material from the placement location after the pre-determined amount of time has passed; and analyzing the sample of material for wear caused by the hydrocarbon production environment.

A scratch tester has at least one cutter that moves simultaneously both rotationally and axially relative to the rock it is cutting. When rotational and axial movements are constant, the cutter generates a helical groove in the rock. In borehole embodiments, the scratch tester is fixed at a desired location using centralizers, and the cutter is provided on a motorized platform/track that translates between the centralizers and rotates around a central axis. The cutter faces outward and extends via a cutter arm to engage and carve a helical groove in the borehole wall. A laboratory scratch tester includes a holder for a solid cylindrical core sample and a motorized translating frame on which a cutter extends. The cutter is directed toward the core sample, and the holder with the core sample is rotated by a motor so that as the cutter translates relative thereto, a helical groove is cut thereinto.

The invention comprises an apparatus for testing mechanical materials, including, but not limited to, plates, welded pipes, metal shells, and the like. The apparatus may include an outer module; an inner module, wherein the inner module is affixed to a target mechanical material to be tested; and at least one main bolt, wherein the at least one main bolt physically contacts the outer module and the inner module. In some embodiments, the inner module may include a plurality of clasps for holding the target material. A mechanical force can be applied to the main bolt, which results in application of mechanical force to the target mechanical material for testing. Additionally, the apparatus does not require any hydraulic elements or electrical elements.

A system and method for non-destructive, in situ, positive material identification of a pipe selects a plurality of test areas that are separated axially and circumferentially from one another and then polishes a portion of each test area. Within each polished area, a non-destructive test device is used to collect mechanical property data and another non-destructive test device is used to collect chemical property data. An overall mean for the mechanical property data, and for the chemical property data, is calculated using at least two data collection runs. The means are compared to a known material standard to determine, at a high level of confidence, ultimate yield strength and ultimate tensile strength within +/10%, a carbon percentage within +/25%, and a manganese percentage within +/20% of a known material standard.

A system and method for non-destructive, in situ, positive material identification of a pipe selects a plurality of test areas that are separated axially and circumferentially from one another and then polishes a portion of each test area. Within each polished area, a non-destructive test device is used to collect mechanical property data and another non-destructive test device is used to collect chemical property data. An overall mean for the mechanical property data, and for the chemical property data, is calculated using at least two data collection runs. The means are compared to a known material standard to determine, at a high level of confidence, ultimate yield strength and ultimate tensile strength within +/10%, a carbon percentage within +/25%, and a manganese percentage within +/20% of a known material standard.

The present invention proposes a ground compactor with a ground compaction drum rotating about a rotation axis during compaction of a substrate, wherein the ground compaction drum includes a deformation sensor for detection of an elastic deformation of the ground compaction drum in order to determine a degree of stiffness of the substrate.

In one version there is provided a test system including a layup tool having a layup surface, and two fairing bars attached to the layup surface. The test system includes the composite laminate having a plurality of stacked plies, and positioned between the two fairing bars. The test system includes fiber distortion initiator(s) positioned at one or more locations under, and adjacent to, one or more plies of the plurality of stacked plies. The test system includes two caul plates with a gap in between, and positioned over the composite laminate. When the test system undergoes a pressurized cure process with a vacuum compaction, a restricted outward expansion of the plurality of stacked plies by the fairing bars, and a pressure differential region formed by the one or more fiber distortion initiators at the one or more locations, create the controlled and repeatable out-of-plane fiber distortion in the composite laminate.

A cutting insert for cutting, milling or drilling of metal includes a sensor for detecting a predetermined wear of the cutting insert caused by operation thereof on a metal work piece, wherein the sensor includes at least two contact regions through which the sensor is connectable to external measuring circuitry. The sensor has at least two leads, which are connected to a respective of the at least two contact regions, wherein each lead presents a respective free end positioned such that, upon the predetermined wear caused by the operation of the cutting insert on a metal work piece, the free ends will be connected to each other by the metal work piece or by a chip resulting from the operation of the cutting insert on the metal work piece.

Disclosed is a device for measuring a property of a material. The device comprises a base; a sensor, the sensor being in a fixed coupling with the base; an indenter, the indenter being slidably coupled to the base to move relative to the base in an axial direction in response to a first abutment of the indenter with a surface of the material such that the indenter provides a push force to the sensor in the axial direction; and a locking device, the locking device being configured to releasably lock the indenter in a locked state in response to a second abutment of the base with the surface of the material, wherein the indenter in the locked state is prevented from moving relative to the base in the axial direction. Also disclosed is a new method of measuring Young's modulus of a material.