Modal Analysis of Structures with Low-cost Embedded Systems

This paper presents a low-cost system that permits to provide structural modal analysis from a number of synchronized MEMS accelerometers distributed along the structure. The communication and computational effort is distributed among the nodes and data are provided real-time. Synchronization between sensors and accuracy of the measures permit to elaborate detailed modal analysis of the buildings. Experiments on real testbeds and structures demonstrate that the accuracy of the modal analysis is similar to the simulations executed using the models of the structures, and confirm that complex structural health evaluations are possible from a set of low-cost sensors.