Numerical and experimental studies on vibration based methods for detection of damage in composite beams

In this paper a new damage index for detection and location of damage is introduced. It is improved version of the earlier developed Poincaré map method based on forced response of the structure. The proposed method is compared with the most popular modal based methods for damage detection: the modal displacements, modal curvatures and the strain energy methods. A finite element model of intact and damaged composite beams is used in order to validate correctness and efficiency of the method. Moreover, the modal based and forced response are tested experimentally by using a scanning laser vibrometer. The advantages of the offered method and its application in SHM are demonstrated by numerical simulations and experimental tests.