Identification and Monitoring of Structural Parameters as Damage Indicators for Plates in the Post-Buckling Regime

Structural Health Control (SHC) is a holistic and comprehensive process that integrates structural analysis, structural health monitoring (SHM), damage assessment, damage prognosis and condition based maintenance (CBM). Main idea of this concept is to use the information of a structural analysis to identify structural parameters as damage indicators. By means of the structural parameters the sensor layout of the SHM system is designed and optimized, which is called Smart SHM. By means of numerical simulations the effect of damages on the post-buckling behavior of a thin plate under compressive loading and its failure modes is analyzed. Appropriate structural parameters are identified to display the post-buckling behavior and the damage effects. These structural parameters are monitored with strain gauges to diagnose damage. The corresponding sensor layout is designed and optimized to measure the structural parameters in a robust and reliable way. This procedure constitutes the Smart SHM system. The subsequent evaluation of the structural parameters, which are monitored during service, diagnoses the damage. The functionality of the Smart SHM system in the context of the SHC concept is verified in tests of a thin aluminum plate.