Modal Identification through Ambient Vibration: Comparative Study

An analytical comparison between three techniques for the identification of modal properties of structures when subjected to ambient vibrations is performed. The algorithms examined include the eigensystem realization algorithm with data correlations, the prediction error method through least squares, and the stochastic subspace identification (SSI) technique. Both analytical and experimental data from a four-storey building scaled at 1:3 are used to perform these evaluations. The level of noise added to the simulated data is varied to study the robustness of the techniques. All techniques are fully automated, allowing for assessments to be conducted through Monte Carlo simulations. The results indicate that the SSI technique provides the most accurate identification of natural frequencies and mode shapes even with high noise levels, all while requiring the least amount of experience for implementation.

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