A Sequential Statistical Time Series Framework for Vibration Based Structural Health Monitoring

The goal of this study is the introduction and experimental assessment of a Sequential Probability Ratio Test (SPRT) framework for vibration based Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). This employs the residual sequences obtained using a single stochastic time series model of the healthy structure and is based on a combination of binary and multihypothesis versions of the SPRT. The framework's performance is predetermined via the use of the Operating Characteristic (OC) and Average Sample Number (ASN) functions in combination with baseline experiments, while it requires on average a minimum number of samples in order to reach a decision compared to Fixed Sample Size (FSS) most powerful tests. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is validated and experimentally assessed via its application to a lightweight aluminum truss structure.