Offline synchronization of data acquisition systems using system identification

•This paper presents a technique for offline time synchronization.•The synchronization is based on the dynamic response of the structure only.•The synchronization is performed using the results obtained from system identification.•A demonstration shows that accurate results are obtained.

This paper presents a technique for offline time synchronization of data acquisition systems. The technique can be applied when real-time synchronization of data acquisition systems is impossible or not sufficiently accurate. It allows for accurate synchronization based on the acquired dynamic response of the structure only, without requiring a common response or the use of a trigger signal. The synchronization is performed using the results obtained from system identification, and assumes linear dynamic behavior of the structure and proportional damping of the structural modes. A demonstration for a laboratory experiment on a cantilever steel beam shows that the proposed methodology can be used for accurate time synchronization, resulting in a significant improvement of the accuracy of the identified mode shapes.