Battery-less wireless remote bolt tension monitoring system

Bolted joint technology constitutes a critical element in structures safety due to possible bolt tension looseness. The existing axial monitoring methods are mostly visual requiring human intervention. The present paper introduces a new paradigm with a new configuration of a smart bolt capable of monitoring, processing and reporting remotely on the status of its axial tension variation. The information is assessed in a built-in electronic board with decision-making followed by a wireless alarm sent instantly to a receiver to map the health of the bolts within the network. The communication is allowed both ways within the designed network of bolts in a plant. Moreover, the proposed system can be powered by wireless energy transfer, or by battery for power supply maintenance free suitable for these standalone mechatronic devices. This device can be used as a node in a network of bolts remotely monitored in a plant. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.