Damage Detection of a Frame Structure Using Finite Element Model Updating

In this paper, damage detection procedure using the finite element model updating was formulated and applied to a small-scale frame structure. FE model updating is the analytical method which finds the mathematical model that generates the measured dynamic properties similarly, and can be effectively used for the damage detection and SHM. For model updating, several kinds of dynamic properties, such as the natural frequencies, mode shapes, and frequency response functions, can be used as the inputs. In this paper, two kinds of model updating procedures using the natrual frequency and the frequency response function, and the natrual frequency and the mode shapes, respectively, were applied to identify the location and the severity of damage of the test structure, which is a four-story two bay steel structure. Results from the damage detection showed that more accurate identification results was obtained when the natrual frequency and the frequency response function were used than when the natrual frequency and the mode shapes were used.