EFFICIENT STIFFNESS MATRIX ESTIMATION FOR ELASTIC STRUCTURES

The paper addresses the problem of identifying a positive semi-definit e symmetric stiffness matrix for a stable elastic structure from measu rements of its displacement in response to some set of static loads. I f the generalized load vectors form the columns of a matrix F and the resulting generalized displacement vectors form the columns of a matri x X, then a suitable stiffness matrix estimate is the least-squares so lution of the equation F = KX with respect to positive semi-definite s ymmetric K. A methodology and a new algorithm for the solution of this problem are presented. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights rese rved.