Dynamic deformation monitoring of cantilever beams using piezoelectric sensors: Theory and experiment

This paper proposes an effective analytical method for dynamic deformation monitoring of cantilever beams by combining piezoelectric ceramic sensors and modal analysis theory. The dynamic equation of beam with piezoelectric sensors is established using the assumed mode method, and the dynamic responses of the system are obtained. By analyzing the computational process inversely, the conversion matrix between sensor response and structural deformation is derived. The reconstruction equation for dynamic strain distribution of structure is obtained. The correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method are confirmed by comparing with the finite element method. Experiments based on this reconstruction method are designed to monitor dynamic deformation of a cantilever beam in bluff body wake in real-time. The obtained experimental results demonstrate high monitoring precision of the proposed method. This technological approach has the advantages of minimal sensor usage, cost-effectiveness, online monitoring, and potential for application in dynamic deformation monitoring of engineering structures.