Damage identification of flexible beam structures using large displacements

In previous works we have proposed a damage location strategy for flexible beam structures where non-linear displacements are observed. The present pa per deals with the computation of physical characteristics associated with detected damages. Even using a preliminary location stage allowing to reduc e the set of parameters, the problem of their evaluation is made difficult because of the non-linearities. There is a strongly non-linear ill-posed pr oblem to solve. For correlating measured data with the given modelling, a m easure of the error on the constitutive relation is written. The computatio n of the damages is made in a very general development within the framework of the continuum media mechanics and can be applied using different numeri cal approaches. The introduction of supplementary experimental information such as the measured strain helps the strategy. To illustrate the method, w e choose a finite element discretization. The ability to quantify single an d multiple damage events is investigated through a set of numerical example s.