The analysis of the structural dynamic behaviour of composite rotor⁻discs by a valid description of the eigenfrequencies and mode shapes can provide significant information for action-taking before a failure occurs. Specifically, vibration-based diagnostic methods, which are able to take into consideration the interdependencies and sequential changes of the modal properties could benefit from such an analysis. Here, on the example of composite rotors, a correlation method for experimentally determined mode shapes is developed. For this purpose the Zernike polynomials are used to enhance the identification of mode shapes. Furthermore, the modal assurance criterion (MAC) in combination with the frequency response criterion and a data processing approach are applied in order to characterize changing modal properties of composite rotors. In addition, the developed algorithms can be further extended in order to simplify the experimental evaluation of the complex dynamic behaviour of composite structures.
Keywords: Zernike polynomials; modal assurance criterion; operational modal analysis.