Waveform-Based Identification of Structural Damage Using the Combined Finite Element Method and Microgenetic Algorithms

Abstract

This study deals with a method to identify structural damage using the combined finite element method and the advanced uniform microgenetic algorithm. The novelty of this study is the use of dynamic loading and its response due to the anomalies in a structure under testing. The technique described in this paper may allow us not only to detect the damaged elements but also to find their numbers, locations, and the extent of damage. To demonstrate the feasibility of the method, the algorithm is applied to a cantilever beam and plate structures with defects. In addition, a laminated composite plate is tested numerically using the first shear deformation theory, and the effect of noise is simulated to study the influence of measurement errors and uncertainty of the method. The results demonstrate the excellencies of the method from the standpoints of computation efficiency as well as its ability to avoid premature convergence.