Modal and physical deflections of beams using distributed wire sensors

Distributed wire sensors are utilized to extract modal and physical deflections of composite beams. The sensors rely in their operation on a set of wires which are embedded off the neutral axes of the composite beams. The wires are arranged in a special manner which allows continuous monitoring of the deflection curve of the beam. The output signals of the wires are processed to determine the modal, linear and angular displacements at critical discrete points along the beam axis. The theoretical and experimental performance of the sensor is presented in both the time and frequency domains. Comparisons are given between the experimental performance of the distributed sensor and that of conventional laser sensors in order to demonstrate the accuracy and merits of the distributed sensor. The results obtained suggest the potential of this new class of sensors as a viable means for monitoring the static and dynamic deflections of flexible composite smart beams and plates.