Two-Step Damage Detection Method for Large and Complex Structures

A damage detection method for complex structures is proposed based on model updating and modal flexibility curvature difference in this paper, which includes two steps. At first, the model updating is used for preparatory detection. In the step, detection problem is transformed into an optimization problem by a nonlinear least-square objective function with bound constrains and the trust-region approach is used to solve the minimization problem and identify the damaged unit group. Second, the method based on modal flexibility curvature difference is used to detect the location of structural damage accurately. In order to verify the effect, simulation and experiment on a framework structure are carried out. The proposed method is applied for damage detection. The simulation and experimentation results show that the proposed method is feasible for damage detection on complex structures.