CN211825829U - Bridge suspender breakage and broken wire detection device based on magnetic telescopic method - Google Patents

Bridge suspender breakage and broken wire detection device based on magnetic telescopic method Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CN211825829U
CN211825829U CN202020025376.9U CN202020025376U CN211825829U CN 211825829 U CN211825829 U CN 211825829U CN 202020025376 U CN202020025376 U CN 202020025376U CN 211825829 U CN211825829 U CN 211825829U
Authority
CN
China
Prior art keywords
permanent magnet
coil
breakage
bridge
detection device
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
CN202020025376.9U
Other languages
Chinese (zh)
Inventor
张建仁
何羽
马亚飞
王磊
彭安银
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Changsha University of Science and Technology
Original Assignee
Changsha University of Science and Technology
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Changsha University of Science and Technology filed Critical Changsha University of Science and Technology
Priority to CN202020025376.9U priority Critical patent/CN211825829U/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CN211825829U publication Critical patent/CN211825829U/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Landscapes

  • Investigating Or Analyzing Materials By The Use Of Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)

Abstract

The utility model discloses a damaged and broken silk detection device of bridge jib based on magnetic telescopic method, include: the coil assembling mechanism comprises more than two arc-shaped substrates, and all the arc-shaped substrates surround the outer side of the suspender to form a fixed substrate structure; the coil unit comprises an excitation coil and a receiving coil, and the excitation coil and the receiving coil are wound on the outer side of the base structure; the magnetic circuit permanent magnet structure comprises a yoke iron, wherein more than one group of permanent magnet units are arranged on the yoke iron, each group of permanent magnet units comprises a saddle sheet, a permanent magnet and a clamping sheet, and the permanent magnet is connected with the yoke iron and used for generating a uniform magnetic field; the saddle piece is used for connecting the permanent magnet and the clamping piece, and the clamping piece is used for being connected with the coil assembling mechanism and forming a clamping type fixing structure. The utility model has the advantages of simple and compact structure, simple and convenient assembly, wide application range and the like.

Description

Bridge suspender breakage and broken wire detection device based on magnetic telescopic method
Technical Field
The utility model discloses mainly relate to bridge engineering technical field, refer in particular to a damaged and broken silk detection device of bridge jib based on magnetic telescopic method.
Background
The suspender is used as a main bearing component of a long-span bridge such as a through arch bridge, a suspension bridge and the like, is in an open environment for a long time, is influenced by external factors, and is seriously damaged by the aging of the sheath; if the protection is not proper, the corrosion damage and even the breakage of the steel wire can be accelerated by the erosion matters such as rainwater and the like penetrating into the sheath. Meanwhile, the fatigue problem of the high-strength steel wire in the suspender under the action of repeated vehicle load increasingly draws wide attention, the fatigue fracture process of the steel wire is further aggravated by corrosion, and the service life of the steel wire is obviously shortened. Bridge safety accidents caused by suspender damage occur at home and abroad, so severe social influence and disastrous economic loss are caused. Therefore, it is necessary to effectively detect breakage and wire breakage of the bridge boom.
The tradition is used the manual work to the detection of long-span bridge jib to be the main, and not only manpower and materials consume high, work efficiency is low, and detect the precision and be difficult to ensure. In recent years, a magnetic flux leakage method is widely applied to the field of bridge structure detection, but a magnetic flux leakage sensor is complex in structure, single-point detection is mainly adopted in the actual detection process, a magnetic flux leakage detection signal is easily influenced by environmental noise, and accurate identification of a defect signal is challenged.
The magnetostrictive transducer can excite and receive ultrasonic guided waves by utilizing the length change of ferromagnetic materials under the action of an alternating magnetic field, and can realize long-distance detection of the suspender by controlling through a computer system according to the basic characteristics of the ultrasonic guided waves. Compared with a magnetic leakage method, the magnetostrictive method improves the detection efficiency and obviously enhances the identification degree of a detection signal.
However, the magnetostrictive sensor of the conventional sleeve-type solenoid coil needs to be installed at the free end of the hanger and then moved to the detection position to be fixed. In actual engineering, two ends of a bridge suspender are anchored and fixed, and a free end does not exist, so that the sleeve type induction coil is difficult to meet actual requirements. Therefore, the provision of an effective detection device for a bridge suspender suitable for field assembly is a technical problem which needs to be solved urgently in the field.
SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL
The to-be-solved technical problem of the utility model lies in: to the technical problem that prior art exists, the utility model provides a bridge jib breakage and broken silk detection device based on magnetic induced shrinkage method that simple structure is compact, the assembly is simple and convenient, application scope is wide.
In order to solve the technical problem, the utility model discloses a following technical scheme:
a bridge suspender breakage and broken wire detection device based on a magnetostrictive method comprises:
the coil assembling mechanism comprises more than two arc-shaped substrates, and all the arc-shaped substrates surround the outer side of the suspender to form a fixed substrate structure;
the coil unit comprises an excitation coil and a receiving coil, and the excitation coil and the receiving coil are wound on the outer side of the base structure;
the magnetic circuit permanent magnet structure comprises a yoke iron, wherein more than one group of permanent magnet units are arranged on the yoke iron, each group of permanent magnet units comprises a saddle sheet, a permanent magnet and a clamping sheet, and the permanent magnet is connected with the yoke iron and used for generating a uniform magnetic field; the saddle piece is used for connecting the permanent magnet and the clamping piece, and the clamping piece is used for being connected with the coil assembling mechanism and forming a clamping type fixing structure.
As a further improvement of the utility model: when alternating current is introduced into the exciting coil, an alternating magnetic field can be formed in the suspender, and the magnetic domain deflects back and forth under the action of the alternating magnetic field, so that the appearance size of the material can be changed, magnetostrictive strain is generated, and ultrasonic guided waves are excited; when the ultrasonic guided wave echo is transmitted back to the receiving coil, the ferromagnetic material generates inverse magnetostriction strain to cause the magnetic induction intensity to change, the receiving coil can induce changed voltage in a changed magnetic field, the voltage signal is transmitted into a digital oscilloscope to be converted into a digital signal, and the digital oscilloscope is connected with a computer software system to be processed.
As a further improvement of the utility model: the permanent magnet units are divided into two groups and are respectively positioned at two ends of the yoke iron.
As a further improvement of the utility model: the yoke iron is arranged along the axial direction of the suspender and is used for conducting the magnetic circuit and closing the magnetic force line.
As a further improvement of the utility model: the position of the clamping piece is provided with an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the clamping and connecting effects of the clamping piece.
As a further improvement of the utility model: the adjusting mechanism comprises a screw and a nut, the screw passes through the clamping piece and is positioned at two sides of the clamping piece, the opening and closing degree of the clamping piece is adjusted by utilizing the sliding of the nut on the screw,
as a further improvement of the utility model: the exciting coil and the receiving coil are both composed of three sections, and respectively form a magnetic circuit exciting sensor and a magnetic circuit receiving sensor together with the magnetic circuit permanent magnet structure.
As a further improvement of the utility model: and the winding directions of the middle section enameled wires of the three sections of exciting coils and the receiving coils are opposite to those of the first section enameled wires and the tail section enameled wires.
As a further improvement of the utility model: two annular protrusions on each arc-shaped base body in the coil assembling mechanism are divided into three sections, and a notch for a lead to pass through is reserved in the middle of each annular protrusion.
As a further improvement of the utility model: the computer receives the ultrasonic guided wave echo waveform signal and can determine whether the hanger rod has defects or not by comparing the normal echo with the defect echo; by means of a group velocity V based on the propagation time t of the reflected signal and the excited guided wavegCalculating the propagation distance L ═ VgT, thereby determining the location of the boom defect.
Compared with the prior art, the utility model has the advantages of:
1. the utility model discloses a damaged and broken silk detection device of bridge jib based on magnetic telescopic method, simple structure is compact, the assembly is simple and convenient, adopts the release sleeve to carry out on-the-spot lock installation to link together three single magnetic circuit permanent magnet structure through the clamping piece, fix through screw rod and nut, form three magnetic circuit permanent magnet structure, easy operation is convenient.
2. The utility model discloses a damaged and broken silk detection device of bridge jib based on magnetostrictive method, based on the magnetostrictive principle, excitation sensor produces supersound guided wave and propagates along the jib axial, meets the echo behind the defect and receives the back through receiving transducer, passes through processing system with echo signal and analyzes, can confirm the defect position to the realization is to the damaged and long distance detection of broken silk of jib. In addition, in view of the jib anchor head structure complicacy, the utility model discloses need not remove detection device alright detect it, detect the precision height, application scope is wide.
Drawings
Fig. 1 is a schematic view of the detection work of the embodiment of the present invention for breakage and broken wire.
Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the installation position of the detection device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective exploded view of a magnetostrictive sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Illustration of the drawings:
1. parallel steel wires; 2. breaking the steel wire; 3. a PE sheath; 4. sheath cracking; 5. a saddle piece; 6. a permanent magnet; 7. a yoke; 8. a clip; 9. an excitation coil; 10. a receiving coil; 11. a screw; 12. a nut; 13. An arc-shaped substrate; 14. a wire; 15. ultrasonic guided waves; 16. ultrasonic guided wave echo; 17. an annular protrusion.
Detailed Description
The invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings and specific examples.
As shown in fig. 1-4, the utility model discloses a damaged and broken silk detection device of bridge jib based on magnetic induced shrinkage method includes:
the coil assembling mechanism comprises more than two arc-shaped substrates, and all the arc-shaped substrates surround the outer side of the suspender to form a fixed substrate structure.
The coil unit comprises an excitation coil 9 and a receiving coil 10, and the excitation coil 9 and the receiving coil 10 are wound on the outer side of the base structure; when alternating current is introduced into the exciting coil 9, an alternating magnetic field can be formed in the suspender, and the magnetic domain deflects back and forth under the action of the alternating magnetic field, so that the appearance size of the material can be changed, magnetostrictive strain is generated, and ultrasonic guided waves are excited; when the ultrasonic guided wave echo is transmitted back to the receiving coil 10, the ferromagnetic material generates inverse magnetostrictive strain, so that the magnetic induction intensity of the ferromagnetic material changes, the receiving coil 10 can induce a changing voltage in a changing magnetic field, the voltage signal is transmitted into a digital oscilloscope to be converted into a digital signal, and the digital oscilloscope is connected with a computer software system to be processed.
The magnetic circuit permanent magnet structure comprises a yoke 7 arranged along the axial direction of the suspender, wherein the yoke 7 is used for conducting a magnetic circuit and closing magnetic lines of force; more than one group of permanent magnet units are arranged on the yoke iron 7, each group of permanent magnet units comprises a saddle piece 5, a permanent magnet 6 and a clamping piece 8, and the permanent magnet 6 is connected with the yoke iron 7 and used for generating a uniform magnetic field; the saddle piece 5 is used for connecting the permanent magnet 6 with the clamping piece 8, and the clamping piece 8 is used for connecting with the coil assembling mechanism and forming a clamping type fixing structure.
In the specific application example, the permanent magnet units are two groups, and are respectively positioned at two ends of the yoke iron 7.
In a specific application example, the permanent magnet 6 may be made of a rare earth material, such as neodymium iron boron, according to actual needs, the yoke 7, the saddle piece 5, and the clamping piece 8 are all made of high-quality carbon structural steel, and the permanent magnet 6, the yoke 7, the saddle piece 5, and the clamping piece 8 may be welded to form a single-magnetic-circuit permanent magnet structure. It is understood that other materials or connection methods, such as connection by assembling connection members instead of welding, are adopted as long as the requirements of the present invention can be met, and this is within the protection scope of the present invention.
In the specific application example, the length of the yoke 7 is determined by the magnetic induction intensity to be generated in the magnetic circuit, and the cross-sectional area of the yoke is required to ensure that the magnetic flux generated by the magnet can maximally pass through the yoke.
As a preferred application example, an adjusting mechanism is further provided at the position of the clip 8 in this example, for adjusting the clamping and connecting effect of the clip 8. This adjustment mechanism can adopt the mode of screw rod 11 and nut 12 according to actual need, and screw rod 11 passes clamping piece 8 and is located the both sides of clamping piece 8 promptly, utilizes the slip of nut 12 on screw rod 11 can be with the degree of opening and shutting of adjusting clamping piece 8, and then adjusts the effect of clamping piece 8 centre gripping and connection. It will be appreciated that the adjustment of the clamping jaw 8 is intended to ensure the clamping effect, and that other ways are also within the scope of the invention as long as this requirement is met. Of course, in another embodiment, the adjusting jaw 8 may be made of an elastic material, and then the adjusting jaw may be adapted by its own elasticity.
In a specific application example, the structure of the suspension rod generally comprises parallel steel wires 1 and a PE sheath 3, wherein the parallel steel wires 1 and the PE sheath 3 are made of ferromagnetic materials, the interior of the materials is divided into a plurality of magnetic domains, and each magnetic domain has a certain polarization direction and is freely arranged in the interior of the materials. In the absence of an applied magnetic field, the ferromagnetic material exhibits magnetic neutrality to the outside and will be magnetized when the magnetic material is placed in the applied magnetic field. And the magnetic circuit permanent magnet structure in the utility model can make the internal magnetic domain of the parallel steel wire 1 and the PE sheath 3 material deflect.
As a preferred application example, the exciting coil 9 and the receiving coil 10 are composed of three segments to generate better magnetostriction effect, and respectively form a magnetic circuit exciting sensor and a magnetic circuit receiving sensor with a magnetic circuit permanent magnet structure.
In a specific application example, the enameled wires of the excitation coil 9 and the receiving coil 10 are both copper enameled wires, that is, the enameled wires are selected to wind a base structure, and the winding direction of the enameled wire in the middle section is opposite to that of the enameled wire in the first section and the enameled wire in the last section.
As a preferred application example, the coil assembling mechanism in this example is composed of two semi-arc base bodies 13, each arc base body 13 is divided into three sections by two annular protrusions 17, and a notch for passing a lead wire is left in the middle of each annular protrusion 17.
In concrete use, the utility model discloses well input of alternating current specifically is: the function generator generates a sine pulse signal, and the sine pulse signal is amplified by the power amplifier and then input to an exciting coil 9 of the exciting sensor. Then, in the process of the ultrasonic guided wave propagating along the axial direction, if the ultrasonic guided wave encounters the broken steel wire 2 or/and the sheath crack 4, part of the signal wave is reflected at the waveguide interface, complex waveform conversion and waveform coupling are generated, and the echo waveform of the ultrasonic guided wave changes.
Further, after the signal feedback is collected, the computer processing comprises: whether the hanger rod has defects or not can be determined by comparing the normal echo with the defect echo; by means of a group velocity V based on the propagation time t of the reflected signal and the excited guided wavegCalculating the propagation distance L ═ VgT, thereby determining the location of the boom defect.
In a specific application example, the usage of the above detecting device of the present invention includes the following steps:
s1: carrying out appearance inspection on the suspender, and selecting a proper position to install an excitation sensor and a receiving sensor;
s2: respectively buckling and assembling two arc-shaped plastic substrates 13 of the exciting coil 9 and the receiving coil 10 on the hanger rod, winding three sections of coils on the substrates, and reserving leads with certain lengths at the head end and the tail end respectively;
s3: respectively assembling and connecting single magnetic circuit permanent magnet structures consisting of yokes, permanent magnets and saddle pieces of an excitation sensor and a receiving sensor through clamping pieces, and adjusting and fixing by using a screw and a nut so as to form a three-magnetic circuit permanent magnet structure;
s4: connecting an excitation sensor with a power amplifier and a function generator, connecting a receiving sensor with a digital oscilloscope, and connecting the function generator and the digital oscilloscope to a computer;
s5: the starting device is used for carrying out magnetostrictive ultrasonic guided wave nondestructive testing, and whether the hanger rod has defects can be determined by comparing normal echo with defect echo; by means of a group velocity V based on the propagation time t of the reflected signal and the excited guided wavegCalculating the propagation distance L ═ VgT, thereby determining the location of the boom defect.
Above only the utility model discloses an it is preferred embodiment, the utility model discloses a scope of protection not only limits in above-mentioned embodiment, and the all belongs to the utility model discloses a technical scheme under the thinking all belongs to the utility model discloses a scope of protection. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, a plurality of modifications and decorations without departing from the principle of the present invention should be considered as the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims (10)

1. The utility model provides a damaged and broken silk detection device of bridge jib based on magnetic shrinkage method which characterized in that includes:
the coil assembling mechanism comprises more than two arc-shaped substrates, and all the arc-shaped substrates surround the outer side of the suspender to form a fixed substrate structure;
a coil unit comprising an excitation coil (9) and a receiving coil (10), the excitation coil (9) and the receiving coil (10) being wound on the outside of the base structure;
the magnetic circuit permanent magnet structure comprises a yoke (7), wherein more than one group of permanent magnet units are arranged on the yoke (7), each group of permanent magnet units comprises a saddle sheet (5), a permanent magnet (6) and a clamping sheet (8), and the permanent magnet (6) is connected with the yoke (7) and used for generating a uniform magnetic field; the saddle piece (5) is used for connecting the permanent magnet (6) and the clamping piece (8), and the clamping piece (8) is used for being connected with the coil assembly mechanism and forming a clamping type fixing structure.
2. The bridge suspender breakage and wire breakage detection device based on the magnetostriction method as claimed in claim 1, wherein when alternating current is supplied to the exciting coil (9), an alternating magnetic field is formed inside the suspender, and a magnetic domain deflects back and forth under the action of the alternating magnetic field, so that the appearance size of the material changes, magnetostrictive strain is generated, and ultrasonic guided waves are excited; when the ultrasonic guided wave echo is transmitted back to the receiving coil (10), the ferromagnetic material generates inverse magnetostriction strain to cause the magnetic induction intensity of the ferromagnetic material to change, the receiving coil (10) can induce changed voltage in a changed magnetic field, and voltage signals are transmitted into a digital oscilloscope to be converted into digital signals and are connected with a computer software system to be processed.
3. The bridge suspender breakage and breakage detection device based on the magnetostriction method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the permanent magnet units are two groups, and are respectively located at two ends of the yoke (7).
4. The bridge boom breakage and wire breakage detection apparatus based on the magnetostrictive method according to claim 1, wherein the yoke (7) is arranged along an axial direction of the boom for conducting a magnetic circuit and closing magnetic lines.
5. The bridge hanger rod breakage and wire breakage detection device based on the magnetostrictive method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that an adjusting mechanism is arranged at the position of the clamping piece (8) for adjusting the clamping and connecting effect of the clamping piece (8).
6. The bridge hanger rod breakage and wire breakage detection device based on the magnetostriction method according to claim 5, wherein the adjusting mechanism comprises a screw rod (11) and a nut (12), the screw rod (11) penetrates through the clamping piece (8) and is located on two sides of the clamping piece (8), and the opening and closing degree of the clamping piece (8) is adjusted by sliding the nut (12) on the screw rod (11).
7. The bridge boom breakage and wire breakage detection device based on the magnetostrictive method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that the exciting coil (9) and the receiving coil (10) are composed of three segments, and respectively form a magnetic circuit exciting sensor and a magnetic circuit receiving sensor together with a magnetic circuit permanent magnet structure.
8. The bridge suspender breakage and breakage detection device based on the magnetostriction method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the middle winding of the enameled wire of the three sections of excitation coils (9) and the receiving coil (10) is opposite to the winding direction of the first section and the tail section.
9. The bridge suspender breakage and breakage detection device based on the magnetostriction method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the two annular protrusions (17) on each arc-shaped substrate in the coil assembly mechanism are divided into three sections, and a notch for a lead to pass through is left in the middle of each annular protrusion (17).
10. The bridge suspender breakage and wire breakage detecting device based on the magnetostriction method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a computer, wherein the computer can determine whether the suspender has a defect by comparing the normal echo with the defect echo after receiving the ultrasonic guided wave echo waveform signal.
CN202020025376.9U 2020-01-07 2020-01-07 Bridge suspender breakage and broken wire detection device based on magnetic telescopic method Active CN211825829U (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN202020025376.9U CN211825829U (en) 2020-01-07 2020-01-07 Bridge suspender breakage and broken wire detection device based on magnetic telescopic method

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN202020025376.9U CN211825829U (en) 2020-01-07 2020-01-07 Bridge suspender breakage and broken wire detection device based on magnetic telescopic method

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CN211825829U true CN211825829U (en) 2020-10-30

Family

ID=73049088

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CN202020025376.9U Active CN211825829U (en) 2020-01-07 2020-01-07 Bridge suspender breakage and broken wire detection device based on magnetic telescopic method

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CN (1) CN211825829U (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN111103348A (en) * 2020-01-07 2020-05-05 长沙理工大学 Bridge suspender breakage and broken wire detection device based on magnetic telescopic method

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN111103348A (en) * 2020-01-07 2020-05-05 长沙理工大学 Bridge suspender breakage and broken wire detection device based on magnetic telescopic method

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
CN101140266B (en) Device detecting magnetic conduction component defect based on magnetic striction torsion wave
US5821430A (en) Method and apparatus for conducting in-situ nondestructive tensile load measurements in cables and ropes
CN105445362B (en) A kind of magnetic striction wave guide detection sensor and detection method based on open magnetic circuit
CN201322742Y (en) Ultrasonic guided wave compound nondestructive testing device
CN103278558A (en) Anchoring system nondestructive test apparatus and method based on magnetic induced shrinkage or elongation
CN103940911A (en) Detection device and method for service bridge inhaul cable/suspension cable anchor system
CN101451976B (en) Method for determining magnetic striction wave guiding detection work station
CN106768283B (en) A kind of pipe ultrasonic guided wave on-line measuring device and detection method based on long range waveguide
CN109406631B (en) Parallel steel wire pulling sling detection device and method
CN105353030A (en) Low-frequency electromagnetism-based defect detecting device
CN211825829U (en) Bridge suspender breakage and broken wire detection device based on magnetic telescopic method
CN105806944B (en) A kind of detection method and device of cable fatigue damage
CN101329304A (en) Modularization excitation detection device
CN110568060A (en) Coil self-excited ferromagnetic pipeline electromagnetic ultrasonic transducer, excitation device and receiving device
CN105954362B (en) The supersonic guide-wave generator quickly detected for pipeline
CN109060206A (en) A kind of ferrimagnet stress measurement device and method
JP2006189413A (en) Magnetic deformation transducer using tail patch, and elastic wave measuring instrument using same
CN101852775B (en) Device for regulating magnetostrictive detection of longitudinal static magnetic field
CN111103348A (en) Bridge suspender breakage and broken wire detection device based on magnetic telescopic method
CN201184875Y (en) Apparatus for detecting magnetic conduction component defect base on magnetic deformation torsion wave
Hristoforou et al. Magnetostrictive delay lines for non-destructive testing
CN203535018U (en) Adjustable magnetostriction guided wave sensor
CN112710731B (en) Electromagnetic ultrasonic transducer and defect detection method based on same
Zhang et al. A longitudinal mode guided wave transducer with the ring permanent biased magnet based on magnetostrictive effect for large diameter bridge cables
CN214895021U (en) Cable joint lead sealing position pulse eddy current detection device

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
GR01 Patent grant
GR01 Patent grant