STRUCTURAL HEALTH MONITORING USING VIBRATION MEASUREMENTS AND ENGINEERING INSIGHT

Several system identification algorithms have been proposed that make use of analytical models and measured modal data to determine the loca tion and/or extent of structural damage. In particular, the authors ha ve proposed a computationally attractive Minimum Rank Perturbation The ory (MRPT) which determines perturbation matrices to the mass, clampin g, and/or stiffness matrices. Inspection of these perturbation matrice s provides insight to both the location and extent of structural damag e. This paper documents our practical experience in applying MRPT theo ry to a variety of structures. The ability to incorporate engineering insight and judgment into the algorithm is shown to enhance the perfor mance of the MRPT technique when faced with real-world issues.