A timestamp-free approach to synchronization error estimation in structural vibration signals
摘要
In structural health monitoring, the increasing use of densely distributed sensors in large structures emphasizes the importance of wireless sensors and distributed wired signal acquisition devices. However, synchronization errors between these devices pose a significant challenge, adversely affecting the accuracy of structural vibration monitoring and analysis, and potentially leading to erroneous conclusions. Addressing these synchronization errors is crucial for wireless and distributed signal acquisition applications. This paper introduces an innovative approach to estimate synchronization errors in structural vibration signals, offering broad applicability without the need for timestamps on data points. The proposed method identifies synchronization errors by analyzing the relationship between asynchronous and synchronous signals in the frequency domain, utilizing coherence function and phase differences of structural vibration signals. The derived formulas demonstrate that the coherence function is influenced exclusively by the linear term of synchronization errors. Once this linear term is estimated and corrected, the constant term of synchronization errors is determined by phase analysis. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated through both numerical simulations and an experimental example, demonstrating its robust accuracy even in high-noise environments. By utilizing the inherent characteristics of structural vibration data, the proposed method eliminates the dependency on timestamps, offering a convenient, practical, and effective solution for estimating and mitigating synchronization errors in structural vibration signals. This study provides a valuable approach for addressing synchronization errors in structural health monitoring, significantly enhancing the reliability and accuracy of vibration data analysis.