Noncontacting excitation and measurement of structures

This paper demonstrates a new method of conducting a non- contacting vibration measurement on light structures. Although laser vibrometry provides a routine method of acquiring response data, the method of achieving non- contacting point excitation of structures remains problematic. This is the primary concern of the paper. There is understandable motivation to develop a viable non- contacting excitation method as exiting methods involve contact thereby altering the structure's in-situ properties.