A signal energy approach of acoustic source localization in plate structures using a discrete sensor array

In the field of engineering structural health monitoring, acoustic source localization (ASL) is a common method to monitor early damage. Most of the existing ASL techniques have high requirements for accurate acquisition of time of arrival, and require complex iterative algorithms or signal processing techniques, which are not conducive to real-time monitoring. In this paper, a signal energy approach of acoustic source localization in plate structures using a discrete sensor array is proposed. The proposed method overcomes the above problems by simply using the amplitude of the recorded signal to calculate the energy and does not need to know the mechanical properties of the material in advance. Thus, it should be useful for real-time and efficient prediction of acoustic source. Numerical simulations and experiments are carried out on aluminum and composite plates to demonstrate the feasibility and application potential of the proposed method. The proposed method demonstrates good accuracy and holds significant potential for wide-ranging applications in the health monitoring of plate structures.