Structural Damage Identification using Modal Data. II: Test Verification

Abstract

Most of the mode-based damage identification techniques have been well verified by numerical simulations. However, many of them still face problems when applied to real measurements where noise is present. In this paper, an experimental program of a reinforced concrete beam is aimed to establish the relation between damage and changes of the structural dynamic characteristics. A damage identification scheme is developed using the mode-based damage identification method described in an accompany paper. The proposed damage identification scheme is applied to the experimental data and the consequent results are compared. It is demonstrated that the proposal of a realistic damage pattern that can describe damage by few representative parameters is necessary to guarantee the localization of damage. An adaptation of the initial finite-element model is required to give the best agreement with the reference measurements. A possible advantage of the algorithm is that the modal forces can be directly extracted from any finite-element package and the mode shape expansion is involved in the damage identification scheme using a static recovery technique.