Integration of a Guided Wave-based SHM System in a full-scale Structural Test

Kurzfassung

Guided-wave-based Structural Health Monitoring (GW-SHM) has proven effective in detecting common damage types in composite structures, including delaminations and structural debonding. This study explores the application of GW-SHM for aircraft composite structure testing. The work begins by establishing the rationale for employing GW-SHM in this context, followed by a description of the piezoelectric transducer network developed for the test requirements. The study then details the integration strategies that allow the GW-SHM system to operate effectively within current full-scale testing frameworks A comprehensive dataset was generated through full-scale testing of a composite fuselage panel, incorporating realistic impact damage scenarios, multi-axial mechanical loading conditions, and temperature variations. Analysis of this dataset reveals how temperature, mechanical load, and damage collectively influence the guided-wave propagation. Building on these findings, the study develops and validates a Gaussian Process-based damage detection method designed to perform reliably under these challenging test conditions.