Experimental determination of bending strain power spectra from vibration measurements

Experimental results are presented of the power spectral density of the random bending strain on the surface of a beam obtained using a scanning laser vibrometer. The strain spectra were obtained by processing vibration data measured at discrete locations along the beam's length. The beam was driven by a stationary broad-band random force. The experimental setup is described along with the data analysis procedure. The results presented here indicate that the method is practical and can lead to reliable estimates.