Experimental Linear and Nonlinear Vibration Methods for the Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of Polymer-Matrix Composites (PMCs): A Literature Review

The goal of this article is to provide a review of the experimental techniques and procedures using vibration methods for the Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of Polymer-Matrix Composites (PMCs). It aims to be a guide for any researchers to carry out vibration experiments. The linear methods are first introduced. But, as PMC is a complex material, these classic methods show some limits, such as low accuracy for small damages and a high environmental dependency. This is why the nonlinear methods are secondly studied, considering that the complexity of PMCs induces a nonlinear behavior of the structure after damage occurrence. The different damage mechanisms are well-explained in order to evaluate the potential of each vibration method to detect them.