Force identification by using specific forms of PVDF patches

This paper deals with the experimental validation of the use of PVDF Patches for the assessment of spatial derivatives of displacement field. It focuses more exactly on the shear Force Identification by using Specific forms of PVDF patcHes (FISH) on beams. An overview of the theoretical approach is exposed. The principle is based on the use of the weak form of the equation of motion of the beam which allows the shear forces to be extracted at one edge of the sensor when this last has a specific form. The experimental validation is carried out with a cantilever steel beam, excited by a shaker at its free boundary. The validation consists in comparing the shear force measured by the designed sensor glued at the free edge and the directly measured force applied by the shaker. The sensor is made of two patches, called the \"stiffness\" patch and the \"mass\" patch. The use of both patches allows one to identify correctly the shear force on a large frequency domain. The use of only the stiffness patch is valid in the low frequency domain and has the advantage to have a frequency-independent gain that allows its use in real time.