Integrated Hybrid Structural Health Monitoring System

Abstract

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is increasingly being evaluated by the industry as a possible method to improve the safety and reliability of structures, thereby reducing their operational cost. Effective SHM systems must possess the ability to detect and track structural damage, as well as monitor environmental and loading conditions the structure experiences. Two types of information are needed to accurately predict structural integrity: damage data and structural response. Current SHM systems utilize Piezoelectric (PZT) actuators and Fiber Optic (FO) sensors separately. PZT transducers typically detect and track damage while FO sensors typically monitor loads and environmental parameters. A hybrid PZT-FO diagnostic system can capture damage and load data by using PZT actuators to input controlled structural excitation and FO sensors to measure the corresponding structural response. This presentation discusses an integrated systems approach for a hybrid SHM system. The hybrid PZT–FO sensor network consisted of a hybrid sensor network, connectors, and data acquisition hardware/software integrated into a single unit to take advantage commonality in electronic components. The FO and PZT sensors were configured and designed for integration with the structure without structural degradation. This presentation demonstrates the capability of the hybrid system and its ability for damage detection and static/dynamic-load monitoring capabilities.