Abstract:
A reliable and effective damage detection technique is important to maintain the safety and integrity of structures. This study is based on dynamic analysis, uses an integrated methodology for detection, location and severity of damage in a plate like structure. Finite element analysis is used for simulating the crack model. In the first approach, piezoelectric patches are used as sensors and actuators, being bonded on both sides of the structure which execute flexural oscillations. They measure differential bending strain in terms of voltage difference to detect presence of cracks very effectively without the need to compare with a healthy sample. The second method is based on curvature mode shape parameter and is used for structural health monitoring. In this method in addition to detection, location and severity estimation is also possible by comparing an intact structure. Both the methods are carried out in frequency domain analysis and it is limited to lower modes. Results shows that proposed multi method incorporating piezoelectric patch and curvature mode shape is effective in damage assessment in plate structure

Keywords: Structural Health monitoring; Piezoelectric Sensors and actuators; Dynamic analysis; Curvature Mode Shape; frequency Domain Analysis.