Acoustic emission-based high-velocity impact detection in whipple shielding structures
File(s)
Author(s)
CERI, Samet
Sharif Khodaei, Zahra
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
This study presents a Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) framework for online detection of high-velocity impacts on Whipple shields with integrated piezoelectric sensor network. Both experimental and numerical tests are developed and carried out to investigate damage detection on composite structures, due to impacts. Experimental tests on aluminium/composite shielding assemblies provided benchmark data for validating hybrid finite element-smoothed particle hydrodynamics (FEM-SPH) models. The numerical simulations closely replicated impact-induced damage and acoustic emission (AE) signal characteristics, achieving an error of less than 6.78%. A regression model linking AE descriptors (amplitude, energy, duration, Time of Interlayer Flight) to kinetic energy demonstrated <15% prediction error, with 90.9% penetration classification accuracy using a 60 J threshold (9-fold cross-validation). Key results revealed velocity-dependent AE trends—amplitude saturation above 400 m/s and duration reduction to 0.0935 ms at 700 m/s, along with projectile size effects (85% amplitude increase
for diameters between 5-20 mm). The numerical simulations extended the experimental findings by enabling parametric studies across a broader range of impact conditions, overcoming the cost and logistical constraints of experimental impacts. This integrated methodology provides a reliable framework for real-time impact diagnostics, combining sensing data with
numerical models to accurately characterize damage progression in structurally critical applications.
for diameters between 5-20 mm). The numerical simulations extended the experimental findings by enabling parametric studies across a broader range of impact conditions, overcoming the cost and logistical constraints of experimental impacts. This integrated methodology provides a reliable framework for real-time impact diagnostics, combining sensing data with
numerical models to accurately characterize damage progression in structurally critical applications.
Date Acceptance
2026-08-06
Citation
Structural Control and Health Monitoring
ISSN
1545-2255
Publisher
Wiley
Journal / Book Title
Structural Control and Health Monitoring
Copyright Statement
Copyright This paper is embargoed until publication. Once published the author’s accepted manuscript will be made available under a CC-BY License in accordance with Imperial’s Research Publications Open Access policy (www.imperial.ac.uk/oa-policy).
License URL
Publication Status
Accepted