High-speed impact location detection on anisotropic composite panels using embedded piezoelectric sensors

Abstract

This article proposes a novel method for high-speed impact detection in composite panels and compares the technique with the conventional triangulation method. The proposed method uses groups of closely spaced embedded sensors to calculate the angles of the impact to these sensor groups. Angles from two groups of sensors are then used for the calculation of the impact location. The new method has reduced computational cost (and thus a faster calculation time) than the triangulation technique. The lower computational cost allows the use of cheaper, lighter, and less energy-consuming electronics, which has obvious advantages in real-time impact detection. Furthermore, because of the close proximity of the sensors within a sensor group, the novel method simplifies electronic cable routing and manufacturing. The new method is demonstrated experimentally using epoxy–fiberglass [0°/90°] composite panels with a network of embedded piezoelectric sensors and various sensor group geometries. The experiments were carried out at a high-impact speed range (>300 m/s), and each panel was subjected to multiple impacts. The proposed method is also experimentally compared with the impact location predictions using conventional triangulation from a square array of sensors. The experiments showed not only a reduced computational cost of the proposed technique but also a reduced accuracy in locating the position of the impact.