Employing principal component analysis for assessment of damage in GFRP composites using electromechanical impedance

Abstract In the presented research authors investigated the electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique in the context of damage detection. The EMI method has been studied for considerable amount of time for detecting damage in metallic, composite, concrete, and other parts. Here, the focus is put on the GFRP (glass fibre reinforced polymer) composites. Both a beam and plate was investigated. The samples were prepared with simulated damage. Impact damage was introduced as well as delamination. Authors have developed a data processing tool based on principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA output served as a damage index. It allowed for sensor network data handling, differentiating the damage cases, and damage detection with missing some of the data. The obtained results are promising and show advantages over traditional EMI damage index – the RMSD. The proposed solution can be employed when only one sensor is used as well as when a sensor network is used. Both cases were reported in this work.