A compact in-situ shape sensing membrane integrating displacement reconstruction and sensor layout design algorithm

Precise real-time shape sensing enables early fault prevention and ensures the stable operation of key structures. This paper presents a novel in-situ shape sensing system designed to achieve high-precision full-field displacement reconstruction. Leveraging the flexible strain-sensing membrane with compact strain rosettes and the single-sided inverse finite element method (ssiFEM)-based layout design algorithm (sLDA), the system optimizes the arrangement of strain rosettes for enhanced reconstruct accuracy under varying working conditions. By integrating the ssiFEM with optimization algorithm, the proposed sLDA minimizes reconstruction errors, enabling the system to reconstruct reliable and real-time displacement fields using a limited number of measurement channels. Simulations and experiments on a variable camber wing demonstrate the effectiveness of the system, which improves up to 8.5% reconstruction accuracy compared to a conventionally uniform layout. The results confirm that the shape sensing system offers a versatile, cost-effective solution for multi-scale structural health monitoring applications.