Temperature corrected sensor diagnostics for impedance-based SHM

Previously, a sensor diagnostics method has been developed for the impedance-based structural health monitoring technique. Impedance techniques utilize piezoelectric patches bonded to the structure of interest for inference of damage. Measuring the slope of piezoelectric susceptance allows unhealthy sensor to be identified. While this sensor diagnostics technique is very useful in detecting damaged sensors bonded to a structure, the method is also susceptible to temperature variations. The object of this study is to accurately provide sensor diagnostics at any temperature. The model developed should be accurate and easy to implement on health monitoring hardware. A frame structure is fabricated to simulate a real structure with complex boundary conditions for experimental testing in various thermal environments. A model predicting piezoelectric susceptance slope at any temperature is generated and validated on the frame structure in an extended temperature range.