Real-Time State Detection in Highly Dynamic Systems

This article investigates the feasibility of real-time state detection on a microsecond timescale for use in highly dynamic systems and presents an experimental setup of a high-rate dynamic system coupled with real-time measurement architecture with the goal of detecting changes in the interfacial state of the system. The feasibility of microsecond state detection is assessed through a preliminary timing study. The experimental setup consists of two colliding aluminum bars and includes the option of changing the bar’s boundary conditions and the interface material between the bars. A piezoelectric transducer will be used for detecting changes in dynamic interfacial state by employing electromechanical impedance monitoring and the measurement data from this will be acquired and processed at high speeds using deterministic real-time tools and methodology. Damage detection algorithms from the structural health monitoring community will be used for rapid detection of changes in state. The eventual goal of this work is to adapt currently used methods or to develop entirely new high speed state detection algorithms to be implemented on the real-time system for state detection. This technology has the potential to be used in many applications, including the aerospace, civil, and energy industries among others.