Dealing with uncertainty in model updating for damage assessment: A review

Abstract In structural engineering, model updating is often used for non-destructive damage assessment: by calibrating stiffness parameters of finite element models based on experimentally obtained (modal) data, structural damage can be identified, quantified and located. However, the model updating problem is an inverse problem prone to ill-posedness and ill-conditioning. This means the problem is extremely sensitive to small errors, which may potentially detract from the method׳s robustness and reliability. As many errors or uncertainties are present in model updating, both regarding the measurements as well as the employed numerical model, it is important to take these uncertainties suitably into account. This paper aims to provide an overview of the available approaches to this end, where two methods are treated in detail: a non-probabilistic fuzzy approach and a probabilistic Bayesian approach. These methods are both elaborated for the specific case of vibration-based finite element model updating for damage assessment purposes.