Development of beam volume displacement sensors using genetic algorithm

Abstract

Further development of total (local) volume displacement sensors is presented. This development supports the implementation of noise control techniques that are based on the minimization of local volume displacement of vibrating structures. In this work, a genetic algorithm is used for the design of volume displacement sensors for vibrating beams using PolyVinyliDene Fluoride (PVDF). First the sensor is assumed to cover the entire beam surface. Then, the covered area is discretized into small patches. The algorithm selects the required patches to yield the PVDF shape necessary to measure the beam volume displacement. The sensor is numerically verified for various beam boundary conditions. The results show close agreement between the calculated beam volume displacement of the beam and the simulated output charge of the sensor. The extension of the genetic algorithm methodology to volume displacement sensors for 2-D vibrating structures is briefly discussed.