MODEL-UNCERTAINTY IMPACT AND DAMAGE-DETECTION ACCURACY IN PLATE GIRDER

The impact of model uncertainty on the damage-prediction accuracy of a nondestructive damage-detection technique when applied to a model pla te girder is assessed. First, a damage-detection algorithm to locate a nd size damage from few mode shapes of structures is outlined. Next, l ocations and magnitudes of damage in the model plate girder are predic ted by using the damage-detection algorithm. Finally, damage-predictio n accuracy for the model plate girder is estimated as a function of mo del uncertainties that are most likely or exist in the damage-detectio n procedure of the model plate girder. By applying the approach to the model plate girder, it is observed that damage can be confidently loc ated with a relatively small localization error and a relatively small false-negative (i.e., missing detection of true damage locations) err or but a relatively large false-positive (i.e., prediction of location s that are not damaged) error. It is also observed that severity of da mage can be estimated with a relatively large error.