Sensor Location Optimization in Experimental Modal Analysis of a Composite Fuselage Panel

This paper concerns the various aspects of experimental investigations of the structural dynamics of a composite material fuselage panel. Tolerances in production process lead to some scatter in geometry and material parameters of nominally identical composite structures. Various measurement techniques and test setups applied for the same object lead to variable measurement data. Accurate characterisation of structural dynamic behaviour of an intact structure is of crucial importance for the Structural Health Monitoring. A large number of vibration based damage detection algorithms are available that can detect deviations in structural parameters. However, discriminating changes induced by real damage from changes determined by large variability in modal parameters of structures made of composite materials is a real challenge. This poses some threads to the reliability of damage detection algorithms. The effectiveness of any damage detection algorithm is limited by its sensitivity to s...