Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of Structural Engineering & Applied Mechanics (Online), cilt.8, sa.3, ss.220-231, 2025 (TRDizin)
In vibration tests, the number and placement of sensors play a critical role in ensuring the quality of vibration signals and the reliability of identified modal parameters. For effective structural identification, it is essential to select sensor locations that enable accurate tracking of structural behavior with minimal instrumentation. In this study, the applicability and effectiveness of optimal sensor placement for identifying modal parameters of a steel–timber composite beam using ambient vibration tests were investigated. To this aim, a beam was constructed under laboratory conditions, and vibration tests were performed to determine its modal parameters. Initially, ambient vibration tests of the beam were performed using a large number of accelerometers. Subsequently, the optimal sensor layout was determined using the Effective Independence method, and the vibration tests were repeated accordingly. Experimental modal parameters were extracted using the Enhanced Frequency Domain Decomposition method. A comparative analysis revealed that the EFI-based optimal sensor configuration effectively captured the key modal parameters with fewer sensors, thereby maintaining reliability and accuracy. This demonstrated that optimal sensor placement could significantly reduce instrumentation without compromising the quality of identification.