Calibration Uncertainty of Three-Axis Low Frequency Accelerometers: Test Rig and Procedure Aspects

In this paper a methodology is described concerning the calibration of three-axis low-cost accelerometers in the 0 to 10 Hz frequency range, to be used for evaluation of existing civil infrastructures. Particular attention is paid to the evaluation of the calibration uncertainty with reference to both static and dynamic operating conditions and to the aspects specifically related to the test bench and to the calibration procedure. These aspects mainly concern the test bench behavior in realizing the requested motion law, the choosing of the reference for calibration and the data processing techniques. The obtained results show that a great improvement of the low cost accelerometers’ metrological characterization could be achieved according to the procedure described in this paper; furthermore, interesting considerations have been carried out with reference to the evaluation of main and cross sensitivity of accelerometers also in dynamic working conditions.