Identification of impact force and location using distributed sensors

An impact load identification method using distributed built-in sensors for detecting foreign object impact is proposed. The identification system consists of a system model and a response comparator. The system model characterizes the dynamic response of the structure subject to a known impact force. The comparator compares the measured sensor outputs with the estimated measurements from the model and predicts the location and force history of the impact. The method has been developed for beams containing distributed piezoelectric sensors. The identification system was tested using simulated conditions. For all of the cases considered, the estimation errors fell well within the prespecified limit.