• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.71 no.4
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• pp.391-405
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• 2019

Compared to the ambient vibration test mainly identifying the structural modal parameters, such as frequency, damping and mode shapes, the impact testing, which benefits from measuring both impacting forces and structural responses, has the merit to identify not only the structural modal parameters but also more detailed structural parameters, in particular flexibility. However, in traditional impact tests, an impacting hammer or artificial excitation device is employed, which restricts the efficiency of tests on various bridge structures. To resolve this problem, we propose a new method whereby a moving vehicle is taken as a continuous exciter and develop a corresponding flexibility identification theory, in which the continuous wheel forces induced by the moving vehicle is considered as structural input and the acceleration response of the bridge as the output, thus a structural flexibility matrix can be identified and then structural deflections of the bridge under arbitrary static loads can be predicted. The proposed method is more convenient, time-saving and cost-effective compared with traditional impact tests. However, because the proposed test produces a spatially continuous force while classical impact forces are spatially discrete, a new flexibility identification theory is required, and a novel structural identification method involving with equivalent load distribution, the enhanced Frequency Response Function (eFRFs) construction and modal scaling factor identification is proposed to make use of the continuous excitation force to identify the basic modal parameters as well as the structural flexibility. Laboratory and numerical examples are given, which validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Furthermore, parametric analysis including road roughness, vehicle speed, vehicle weight, vehicle's stiffness and damping are conducted and the results obtained demonstrate that the developed method has strong robustness except that the relative error increases with the increase of measurement noise.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.527-544
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• 2009

In this study, the periodic seismic performance evaluation scheme is proposed using a structural health monitoring system in terms of seismic fragility. An instrumented highway bridge is used to demonstrate the evaluation procedure involving (1) measuring ambient vibration of a bridge under general vehicle loadings, (2) identifying modal parameters from the measured acceleration data by applying output-only modal identification method, (3) updating a preliminary finite element model (obtained from structural design drawings) with the identified modal parameters using real-coded genetic algorithm, (4) analyzing nonlinear response time histories of the structure under earthquake excitations, and finally (5) developing fragility curves represented by a log-normal distribution function using maximum likelihood estimation. It is found that the seismic fragility of a highway bridge can be updated using extracted modal parameters and can also be monitored further by utilizing the instrumented structural health monitoring system.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.20 no.2 s.69
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• pp.1-7
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• 2006

This paper, presents a comparison between numerical analysis and field test on a real offshore platform in Bohai Bay, China. This platform is a steel jacket offshore platform with vertical piles. The field testing under wave-induced force and wind force etc. was conducted, in order to obtain the dynamic parameters of the structure, including the frequencies of the jacket platform, as well as the corresponding damping ratios and mode shapes. The natural excitation technology (NexT) combined with eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA) and the peak picking (PP) method in frequency domain are carried out for modal parameter indentification under operational conditions. The three-dimeansional finite element model (FEM) is constructed by ANSYS and analytical modal analysis is performed to generate modal parameters. The analytical results were compared with experimental results. A good agreement was achieved between the finite element and analysis and field test results. It is further demonstrated that the numerical and experimental modal analysis provide a comprehensive study on the dynamic properties of the jacket platform. According to the analysis results, the modal parameters identification under ambient excitation can calibrate finite element model of the jacket platform structures, or can be used for the structural health monitoring system.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.209-230
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• 2016

The Canton Tower is a high-rise slender structure with a height of 610 m. A structural health monitoring system has been instrumented on the structure, by which data is continuously monitored. This paper presents an investigation on the identified modal properties of the Canton Tower using ambient vibration data collected during a whole day (24 hours). A recently developed Fast Bayesian FFT method is utilized for operational modal analysis on the basis of the measured acceleration data. The approach views modal identification as an inference problem where probability is used as a measure for the relative plausibility of outcomes given a model of the structure and measured data. Focusing on the first several modes, the modal properties of this supertall slender structure are identified on non-overlapping time windows during the whole day under normal wind speed. With the identified modal parameters and the associated posterior uncertainty, the distribution of the modal parameters in the future is predicted and assessed. By defining the modal root-mean-square value in terms of the power spectral density of modal force identified, the identified natural frequencies and damping ratios versus the vibration amplitude are investigated with the associated posterior uncertainty considered. Meanwhile, the correlations between modal parameters and temperature, modal parameters and wind speed are studied. For comparison purpose, the frequency domain decomposition (FDD) method is also utilized to identify the modal parameters. The identified results obtained by the Bayesian method, the FDD method and a finite element model are compared and discussed.

• International Journal of Fluid Machinery and Systems
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.278-285
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• 2009

Operational modal analysis (OMA) allows modal parameters, such as natural frequencies and damping, to be estimated solely from data collected during operation. However, a main shortcoming of these methods resides in the evaluation of the accuracy of the results. This paper will explore the uncertainty and possible variations in the estimates of modal parameters for different operating conditions. Two algorithms based on the Least Square Complex Exponential (LSCE) method will be used to estimate the modal parameters. The uncertainties will be calculated using a Monte-Carlo approach with the hypothesis of constant modal parameters at a given operating condition. In collaboration with Andritz-Hydro Ltd, data collected on two different stay vanes from an Andritz-Hydro Ltd Francis turbine will be used. This paper will present an overview of the procedure and the results obtained.

• Journal of KSNVE
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.377-386
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• 1999

This paper is a study on model method for estimating system inputs from vibration responses, which is one of indirect input identification methods in frequency domain. The method has advantages over direct inverse method especially when points of operational inputs are inaccessible so that artificial excitation forces cannot be applied to obtain frequency response functions of the complete system. Procedures of extended modal model method are proposed and checked by numerical experiment. Mechanisms of error propagation, i.e., how errors in modal parameters such as poles nad mode shape vectors affect estimation of the input forces, are illustrated. Then, in order to counteract the error propagation, discrete modal filter approach is taken in this paper to compute the inversion of modal matrix in which the most serious errors seem to be generated. Further, a Reduced form of Modified Reciprocal Modal Vector(RMRMV) is proposed for estimating multiple inputs. It is shown to have smaller orthogonality error than MRMV.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.10 no.4_5
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• pp.375-391
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• 2012

This paper reports the structural health monitoring benchmark study results for the Canton Tower using Bayesian methods. In this study, output-only modal identification and finite element model updating are considered using a given set of structural acceleration measurements and the corresponding ambient conditions of 24 hours. In the first stage, the Bayesian spectral density approach is used for output-only modal identification with the acceleration time histories as the excitation to the tower is unknown. The modal parameters and the associated uncertainty can be estimated through Bayesian inference. Uncertainty quantification is important for determination of statistically significant change of the modal parameters and for weighting assignment in the subsequent stage of model updating. In the second stage, a Bayesian model updating approach is utilized to update the finite element model of the tower. The uncertain stiffness parameters can be obtained by minimizing an objective function that is a weighted sum of the square of the differences (residuals) between the identified modal parameters and the corresponding values of the model. The weightings distinguish the contribution of different residuals with different uncertain levels. They are obtained using the Bayesian spectral density approach in the first stage. Again, uncertainty of the stiffness parameters can be quantified with Bayesian inference. Finally, this Bayesian framework is applied to the 24-hour field measurements to investigate the variation of the modal and stiffness parameters under changing ambient conditions. Results show that the Bayesian framework successfully achieves the goal of the first task of this benchmark study.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.427-442
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• 2009

In this paper, the acceptability of system identification results for health monitoring of instrumented bridges is addressed. This is conducted by comparing the confidence intervals of identified modal parameters for a bridge in California, namely Truckee I80/Truckee river bridge, with the change of these parameters caused by several damage scenarios. A challenge to the accuracy of the identified modal parameters involves consequences regarding the damage detection and health monitoring, as some of the identified modal information is essentially not useable for acquiring a reliable damage diagnosis of the bridge system. Use of strong motion data has limitations that should not be ignored. The results and conclusions underline these limitations while presenting the opportunities offered by system identification using strong motion data for better understanding and monitoring the health of bridge systems.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.237-244
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• 2017

This study proposes a numerical model to explain the closely placed double modes in the vibration of a layered stone pagoda system. The friction surface between the stones is modelled as the Timoshenko finite element while each stone layer is modelled as a rigid body. It is assumed that the irregular asperity on the friction surface enables the stone to be excited. This results in the closely placed modes that are composed of natural modes and self-excited modes. To examine the validity of the proposed model, a set of modal testing and analysis for a layered stone pagoda mock-up model has been conducted and a set of closely placed double modes are extracted. Applying the extended sensitivity-based system identification technique, the various system parameters are identified so that the modal parameters of the proposed numerical model are the same with those of the experimental mock-up. For a horizontal impulse excitation, the simulated acceleration responses are compared with measurements.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.349-359
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• 2011

Input excitation and output response of structure are needed in conventional modal analysis methods. However, input excitation is often difficult to be obtained in the dynamic load test of bridge structures. Therefore, what attracts engineers' attention is how to get dynamic parameters from the output response. In this paper, a structural experimental modal analysis method is introduced, which can be used to conveniently obtain dynamic parameters of the structure from the free decay response. With known damping coefficients, this analysis method can be used to identify the natural frequencies and the mode shapes of MDOF structures. Based on the modal analysis theory, the mathematical relationship of damping ratio and frequency is obtained. By using this mathematical relationship to improve the previous method, an improved experimental modal analysis method is proposed in this paper. This improved method can overcome the deficiencies of the previous method, which can not identify damping ratios and requires damping coefficients in advance. Additionally, this improved method can also identify the natural frequencies, mode shapes and damping ratios of the bridge only from the free decay response, and ensure the stability of identification process by using modern mathematical means. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of this method are demonstrated by a numerical example of a simply supported reinforced concrete beam.