Abstract Summary
A common task in experimental structural analysis is to acquire data for parameter estimation of some parametric model. For example, in experimental modal analysis, such a model is the modal model, and the parameters are modal parameters. The classical optimal sensors placement (OSP) formulation is to find the sensors’ configuration that minimizes the error in the estimated parameters using the least number of sensors. The presented paper examines this formulation for modal analysis: It compares the uncertainty in estimated modal parameters obtained with different sensor configurations in controlled environments. A simulated experiment is performed, where a modal test of a simple mechanical system is conducted for optimal and “naïve” sensors’ configurations, and the measurement uncertainties are propagated through the modal parameters estimation algorithm to obtain the uncertainties in modal parameters. The results demonstrate the applicability of the OSP.
