Dynamic probability modeling-based aircraft structural health monitoring framework under time-varying conditions: Validation in an in-flight test simulated on ground

Abstract This paper proposes a dynamic probability modeling-based aircraft Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) framework which provides a modular hierarchical SHM architecture for the development of applicable aircraft SHM techniques. The problem of reliable damage monitoring under time-varying conditions, which is the main application obstacle, is fully considered in the framework by the double probability models combined with the short term and long term dynamic update of the models. To realize the SHM capability of the framework, an adaptive constructing method of Gaussian mixture model is proposed for stable and efficient probability modeling and the probability similarity between dynamically updated models is measured for normalized damage detection. The framework is realized by combining with the guided wave SHM technique and validated in a full-scale aircraft fatigue test which is an in-flight test simulated on ground. The cracks of the right landing gear spar and the left wing panel on the aircraft structure are monitored reliably under the fatigue load conditions.