Feasibility of Output-Only Modal Identification Using Wireless Sensor Network: A Quantitative Field Experimental Study

Although significant advancements have been achieved in wireless sensor network (WSN) in the past decades, there is still a strong need for in-depth analysis on wireless time synchronization and data quality during field testing. In this paper, an academic WSN is adopted for output-only modal identi...

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Main Authors: Wen-ai Shen, Ying Lei, Liang Hu, Yang Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-11-01
Series:International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/560161
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author Wen-ai Shen
Ying Lei
Liang Hu
Yang Wang
author_facet Wen-ai Shen
Ying Lei
Liang Hu
Yang Wang
author_sort Wen-ai Shen
collection DOAJ
description Although significant advancements have been achieved in wireless sensor network (WSN) in the past decades, there is still a strong need for in-depth analysis on wireless time synchronization and data quality during field testing. In this paper, an academic WSN is adopted for output-only modal identification of two full-scale bridges in Xiamen, China. This paper first assesses the accuracy of time synchronization performed by the WSN through a centralized beacon signal and then studies wireless data quality using two quantitative performance indexes. The relationship between vibration amplitude and quality of wireless sensor data is investigated. With ambient bridge accelerations acquired by wireless sensing units, modal properties of the two bridges are identified using the stochastic subspace identification (SSI) method and the enhanced frequency domain decomposition (EFDD) method. Accuracies of the modal identification results are evaluated through comparison with modal properties identified from tethered sensing data. The comparison shows close match in natural frequencies and mode shapes, although relatively large difference in damping ratios exists between results from wireless and tethered sensing data. An overall close match between the wireless and tethered results demonstrates the feasibility of using WSN for the ambient vibration testing of full-scale bridges.
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spelling doaj-art-9d7724bf29bb4698888f64fa68afd00a2025-02-03T01:30:42ZengWileyInternational Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks1550-14772012-11-01810.1155/2012/560161Feasibility of Output-Only Modal Identification Using Wireless Sensor Network: A Quantitative Field Experimental StudyWen-ai Shen0Ying Lei1Liang Hu2Yang Wang3 Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong Department of Civil Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China Department of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USAAlthough significant advancements have been achieved in wireless sensor network (WSN) in the past decades, there is still a strong need for in-depth analysis on wireless time synchronization and data quality during field testing. In this paper, an academic WSN is adopted for output-only modal identification of two full-scale bridges in Xiamen, China. This paper first assesses the accuracy of time synchronization performed by the WSN through a centralized beacon signal and then studies wireless data quality using two quantitative performance indexes. The relationship between vibration amplitude and quality of wireless sensor data is investigated. With ambient bridge accelerations acquired by wireless sensing units, modal properties of the two bridges are identified using the stochastic subspace identification (SSI) method and the enhanced frequency domain decomposition (EFDD) method. Accuracies of the modal identification results are evaluated through comparison with modal properties identified from tethered sensing data. The comparison shows close match in natural frequencies and mode shapes, although relatively large difference in damping ratios exists between results from wireless and tethered sensing data. An overall close match between the wireless and tethered results demonstrates the feasibility of using WSN for the ambient vibration testing of full-scale bridges.https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/560161
spellingShingle Wen-ai Shen
Ying Lei
Liang Hu
Yang Wang
Feasibility of Output-Only Modal Identification Using Wireless Sensor Network: A Quantitative Field Experimental Study
International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks
title Feasibility of Output-Only Modal Identification Using Wireless Sensor Network: A Quantitative Field Experimental Study
title_full Feasibility of Output-Only Modal Identification Using Wireless Sensor Network: A Quantitative Field Experimental Study
title_fullStr Feasibility of Output-Only Modal Identification Using Wireless Sensor Network: A Quantitative Field Experimental Study
title_full_unstemmed Feasibility of Output-Only Modal Identification Using Wireless Sensor Network: A Quantitative Field Experimental Study
title_short Feasibility of Output-Only Modal Identification Using Wireless Sensor Network: A Quantitative Field Experimental Study
title_sort feasibility of output only modal identification using wireless sensor network a quantitative field experimental study
url https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/560161
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AT yinglei feasibilityofoutputonlymodalidentificationusingwirelesssensornetworkaquantitativefieldexperimentalstudy
AT lianghu feasibilityofoutputonlymodalidentificationusingwirelesssensornetworkaquantitativefieldexperimentalstudy
AT yangwang feasibilityofoutputonlymodalidentificationusingwirelesssensornetworkaquantitativefieldexperimentalstudy