MAE 5301: Sensing Technologies for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM)

Spring 2007

Monday, Wednesday 9:00 - 10:20 am

Room 110, Nedderman Hall

Course Description:   This course gives an overview of an emerging technology field called Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). SHM refers to the broad concept of evaluating the performance of structural components at real-time using a variety of sensing techniques, for the purpose of providing advanced warning of future structural failures. It has become an increasingly important technology in civil, aerospace, and structural engineering to ensure the safe operation of various structures, such as bridges, skyscrapers, aircraft, and spacecrafts. This course will introduce the fundamentals of SHM as well as recent developments in sensor technologies, damage detection techniques, and signal processing algorithms. Special emphasis will be given to optical fiber sensors and ultrasonic non-destructive inspection techniques.

Course Notes

1. Introduction to SHM

2. Instrumentations

3. Sensor technologies

4. Data acquisition

5. Digital signal processing

6. Vibration-based SHM

7. Fundamentals of ultrasound

8. Optical fiber sensors

9. Project assignments (project #1, project #2)

With gratitude and recognition to our fine sponsors:

This video was taken when Prof. Huang visited Taiwan's National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering. It demonstrates how sensors can be deployed to monitor structure integrities during an earthquake. The information collected can be later used to determine response efforts.

SHM in the news

Useful links

Los Alamos National Lab Sensing Technologies group

Lehigh University Smart Structures Lab