METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONCURRENT POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ACTUATION IN STRUCTURAL HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEMS

摘要

Methods and systems of monitoring structural health conditions by use of a plurality of patch sensors attached to host structure. The method includes: generating first and second actuation signals, the second actuation signal being approximately identical to the inverted signal of the first actuation signal; applying the voltage difference of the first and second actuation signals across two electrical terminals of a transmitter patch, by initiating the first actuation signal to one electrical terminal and at same time the second actuation signal to the other electrical terminal, so as to generate a stress wave within the host structure; and receiving sensor signals from the sensor patches to monitor the health conditions of the host structure.