Structural Health Monitoring Software and Hardware

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is a method of determining the health of a structure from the readings of an array of permanently-attached sensors that are embedded into the structure and monitored over time.

While various implementations of structural health monitoring devices have been developed, and while various methodologies have been proposed to evaluate structural health, no design has emerged that generally encompasses all of the desired characteristics as has the subject invention. Software is provided for automatic control of associated hardware for providing user selectable operational environments for SHM. An integrated software program has been developed to permit simplified selection of various structural health monitoring aspects including the ability to detect and locate cracking, corrosion, and disbanding through the use of pitch-catch, pulse-echo, electro/mechanical impedance, and phased array technology. Another positive aspect of this type of device is that stand alone hardware and an associated single software package has been provided that permits performance of all needed SHM investigations to assess the health of a structure.