Oriented Wireless Sensing for Structural Health Monitoring

A novel sensor platform for Structural Health Monitoring is described and explored: a small, energy-efficient wireless sensor platform based on MEMS sensors, a 3-axis accelerometer, a 3-axis gyroscope, and a 3-axis magnetometer. The platform allows for measurements novel for SHM applications: orientation angles in reference to a global coordinate system (pitch, roll, yaw), used either directly or as part of a direct calculation of displacement in absolute space. Hardware for platform is delineated; software concerns are explored, and several filters for sensor fusion are demonstrated. Applications for SHM are detailed, both dynamic and static applications. The framework for a validation study for the platform is described; multiple tests (inplane/out-of-plane) are performed on a shake-table, for ground motions used to demonstrate validity of platform for practical application.