Integration of autonomous fatigue crack detection and vibration control in smart plates

This paper develops and demonstrates performance analysis of vibration suppression and damage detection control laws on structures with fatigue cracks. State feedback control laws for the individual tasks of vibration suppression and autonomous damage detection are designed based on low-order models of a damaged structure. These control laws are applied to finite-element models of structures with through-surface and surface cracks. The analysis ascertains the ability of feedback control to enhance sensitivity of modal frequency shifts due to realistic damage and the potential for using the same sensors and actuators for implementing vibration damping control laws that are insensitive to damage. In the control model, damage consists of simple reductions in thickness over a small area of the structure. Finite-element models to which control laws are applied are developed using commercial software (ABAQUS) that more accurately models the crack by releasing element connections or by using line spring elements. Results show that feedback control laws can be designed for either crack detection or vibration suppression using identical hardware. In addition, we demonstrate that simple models of damaged structures are suitable for designing control laws for detecting more complex damage conditions, and we demonstrate the use of commercial software for model-based simulation of controlled structures.