System Identification Method for Monitoring Impact Events

摘要

This paper presents a new method for identifying impact events using a built-in diagnostic technique. The identification includes the impact location and force time history. The proposed technique does not rely on a mathematical model to predict the behavior of a structure: instead system transfer functions are obtained from experimental tests. An experimental system identification technique was used to establish system transfer functions capable of reproducing the system's physical behavior. This technique simplifies the monitoring procedure not only because there is no need for a complex structure model, but also because there is no need of the evaluating procedure for sensors to get accurate strain/stress values. This paper summarizes the monitoring technique and presents examples from several impact tests on complicated structures including stiffened panels.