A damage identification numerical model based on the sensitivity of orthogonality conditions and least squares techniques

This paper presents a numerical model for damage identification of composit e structures. This model is based on the orthogonality conditions sensitivi ties of the damaged and undamaged structure mode shapes and relies on a dis cretisation by finite elements. The damage is directly related to the stiff ness reduction of the damaged element. A study on the use of eigenvector se nsitivities for damage identification and the influence of measurement erro rs and noise in the modal data is also presented. This model is applied to a laminated rectangular plate, free in space, and the efficiency of the num erical tools used to solve the defined set of equations is discussed. (C) 2 000 Civil-Comp Ltd. and Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.