A Novel Sensor Placement Strategy Based on Marine Predators Algorithm and Its Application to Transmission Towers

An effective sensor network strategy is fundamental to structural health monitoring (SHM). Optimal sensor placement (OSP) for transmission towers remains insufficiently studied, primarily owing to the extensive number of candidate nodes and the complex structural responses of these structures under diverse environmental loads. Utilizing finite element analysis (FEA), this paper proposes a novel framework for the sensor placement of transmission towers. The maximum modal order of a Y-shaped transmission tower is determined using the Fisher Information Matrix (FIM), which characterizes its dynamic properties, while the Modal Assurance Criterion (MAC) is employed to identify the optimal number of sensors. The Marine Predators Algorithm (MPA) is then utilized to determine the optimal sensor configuration for the transmission tower based on four different fitness functions. The performance of these four fitness functions in sensor layout design is systematically compared. The results indicate that the MPA can efficiently generate optimal sensor configurations under a constraint on the maximum number of sensors. The choice of fitness function has a significant impact on the sensor placement results. The proposed MPA-based OSP method provides a reliable technical framework for the optimal design of SHM systems in power transmission engineering.