Monolithic linear and angular sensors for real-time low-frequency structural distributed monitoring

An effective study and modeling of the dynamic structural status of buildings and large infrastructures (dams, bridges, sky-scrapes) requires the identification of their low frequency vibrations modes (mHz region) measured with suitable monitoring systems, based on high-sensitivity large-band linear and angular sensors. The UNISA Folded Pendulum class of sensors satisfies both the linear and angular requirements, as demonstrated by the new Extended Folded Pendulum Model (EFPM), describing their dynamical behavior for a generic orientation in space. In this paper, after a description of the EPFM model, we present monolithic implementations of pure angular sensors, together with some applications results.