Delamination detection and growth assessment in composite laminated beams through data-driven vibration structural health monitoring

This study presents an integrated and reliable Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) methodology for composite laminated structures that enables delamination assessment. Most of these structures are subjected to vibrations and therefore, vibration-based SHM (VSHM) methods present an attractive possibility. The vibration response is used as an input in the data-driven VSHM methodology to estimate, based on the output of statistical models, the development of delamination's behaviour. This study presents a technique based on Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) for a data-driven VSHM methodology. The methodology decomposes the vibration responses in a certain number of principal components where the data is better distinguishable. The methodology has been implemented on the vibration responses measured by embedded piezoceramic sensors in an experiment with four composite laminated beams. The size of the delamination has been modified to study its growth. The results demonstrate a substantial potential of this approach for delamination detection and growth assessment.