• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.277-300
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• 2016

Cold-formed steel (CFS) sections are becoming an increasingly popular solution for constructing floors in residential, healthcare and education buildings. Their reduced weight, however, makes them prone to excessive vibrations, increasing the need for accurate prediction of CFS floor modal properties. By combining experimental modal analysis of a full-scale CFS framed building and its floors and their numerical finite element (FE) modelling this paper demonstrates that the existing methods (based on the best engineering judgement) for predicting CFS floor modal properties are unreliable. They can yield over 40% difference between the predicted and measured natural frequencies for important modes of vibration. This is because the methods were adopted from other floor types (e.g., timber or standard steel-concrete composite floors) and do not take into account specific features of CFS floors. Using the adjusted and then updated FE model, featuring semi-rigid connections led to markedly improved results. The first four measured and calculated CFS floor natural frequencies matched exactly and all relevant modal assurance criterion (MAC) values were above 90%. The introduction of flexible supports and more realistic modelling of the floor boundary conditions, as well as non-structural $fa{\c{c}}ade$ walls, proved to be crucial in the development of the new more successful modelling strategy. The process used to develop 10 identified and experimentally verified FE modelling parameters is based on published information and parameter adjustment resulting from FE model updating. This can be utilised for future design of similar lightweight steel floors in prefabricated buildings when checking their vibration serviceability, likely to be their governing design criterion.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.631-639
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• 2019

Finite element analysis is one of the important methods to study the structural performance. Due to the simplification, discretization and error of structural parameters, numerical model errors always exist. Besides, structural characteristics may also change because of material aging, structural damage, etc., making the initial finite element model cannot simulate the operational response of the structure accurately. Based on Bayesian methods, the initial model can be updated to obtain a more accurate numerical model. This paper presents the work on the field test, modal identification and model updating of a Chinese reinforced concrete pagoda. Based on the ambient vibration test, the acceleration response of the structure under operational environment was collected. The first six translational modes of the structure were identified by the enhanced frequency domain decomposition method. The initial finite element model of the pagoda was established, and the elastic modulus of columns, beams and slabs were selected as model parameters to be updated. Assuming the error between the measured mode and the calculated one follows a Gaussian distribution, the posterior probability density function (PDF) of the parameter to be updated is obtained and the uncertainty is quantitatively evaluated based on the Bayesian statistical theory and the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm, and then the optimal values of model parameters can be obtained. The results show that the difference between the calculated frequency of the finite element model and the measured one is reduced, and the modal correlation of the mode shape is improved. The updated numerical model can be used to evaluate the safety of the structure as a benchmark model for structural health monitoring (SHM).

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.872-880
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• 2002

The finite element analysis is frequently used to predict dynamic responses of complex structures. Since the predicted responses often differ from experimentally measured ones, updating of the finite element models is performed to make the finite element results agree with the measured ones. Among several model updating methods, one is to use FRF(frequency response function) data without a modal analysis. This paper investigates characteristics of the model updating method in order to improve the method. The investigation is focused on how to obtain FRFs for unmeasured rotational displacements and how to consider damping. For the investigation simulated data and experimental data for a cantilever beam are used.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.667-683
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• 2009

FE model-based dynamic analysis has been widely used to predict the dynamic characteristics of civil structures. In a physical point of view, an FE model is unavoidably different from the actual structure as being formulated based on extremely idealized engineering drawings and design data. The conventional model updating methods such as direct method and sensitivity-based parameter estimation are not flexible for model updating of complex and large structures. Thus, it is needed to develop a model updating method applicable to complex structures without restriction. The main objective of this paper is to present the model updating method based on the hybrid genetic algorithm (HGA) by combining the genetic algorithm as global optimization method and modified Nelder-Mead's Simplex method as local optimization method. This FE model updating method using HGA does not need the derivation of derivative function related to parameters and without application of complicated inverse analysis methods. In order to allow its application on diversified and complex structures, a commercial FEA tool is adopted to exploit previously developed element library and analysis algorithms. Moreover, an output-level objective function making use of measurement and analytical results is also presented to update simultaneously the stiffness and mass of the analysis model. The numerical examples demonstrated that the proposed method based on HGA is effective for the updating of the FE model of bridge structures.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.904-921
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• 2014

The main objective of this paper is to propose a new Finite Element (FE) model updating technique for damped beam structures. The present method consists of a FE model updating, a Degree of Freedom (DOF) reduction method and a damping matrix identification method. In order to accomplish the goal of this study, first, a sensitivity-based FE model updating method using the natural frequencies and the zero frequencies is introduced. Second, an Iterated Improved Reduced System (IIRS) technique is employed to reduce the number of DOF of FE model. Third, a damping matrix is estimated using modal damping ratios identified by a curve-fitting method and modified matrices which are obtained through the model updating and the DOF reduction. The proposed FE model updating method is verified using a real cantilever beam attached damping material on one side. The updated result shows that the proposed method can lead to accurate model updating of damped structures.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.657-668
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• 2020

A novel multistage approach is developed for structural model updating based on sensitivity ranking of the selected updating parameters. Modal energy-based sensitivities are formulated, and maximum-normalized indices are designed for sensitivity ranking. Based on the ranking strategy, a multistage approach is proposed, where these parameters to be corrected with similar sensitivity levels are updated simultaneously at the same stage, and the complete procedure continues sequentially at several stages, from large to small, according to the predefined levels of the updating parameters. At every single stage, a previously developed cross model cross mode (CMCM) method is used for structural model updating. The effectiveness and robustness of the multistage approach are investigated by implementing it on an offshore structure, and the performances are compared with non-multistage approach using numerical and experimental vibration information. These results demonstrate that the multistage approach is more effective for structural model updating of offshore platform structures even with limited information and measured noise. These findings serve as a preliminary strategy for structural model updating of an offshore platform in service.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.47-65
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• 2015

A novel finite element (FE) model updating method based on multi-resolution analysis (MRA) is proposed. The true stiffness of the FE model is considered as the superposition of two pieces of stiffness information of different resolutions: the pre-defined stiffness information and updating stiffness information. While the resolution of former is solely decided by the meshing density of the FE model, the resolution of latter is decided by the limited information obtained from the experiment. The latter resolution is considerably lower than the former. Second generation wavelet is adopted to describe the updating stiffness information in the framework of MRA. This updating stiffness in MRA is realized at low level of resolution, therefore, needs less number of updating parameters. The efficiency of the optimization process is thus enhanced. The proposed method is suitable for the identification of multiple irregular cracks and performs well in capturing the global features of the structural damage. After the global features are identified, a refinement process proposed in the paper can be carried out to improve the performance of the MRA of the updating information. The effectiveness of the method is verified by numerical simulations of a box girder and the experiment of a three-span continues pre-stressed concrete bridge. It is shown that the proposed method corresponds well to the global features of the structural damage and is stable against the perturbation of modal parameters and small variations of the damage.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.89-95
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• 2012

Identification of the modal properties of a structural system has received much attention over the years because of its importance in structural model updating, structural health monitoring and structural control. This paper presents experimental modal test results such as natural frequencies and mode shapes of a scale model of floating structure. A modal testing is performed on the structure and modal parameters for the structure are extracted from the measured data. The results are compared to a finite element model and the correlation between the measured and analytical modal parameters is investigated.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.9-25
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• 2015

Field measurements of various structures have been conducted for many purposes. Measurement data obtained by field measurement is very useful to determine vibration characteristics including dynamic characteristics such as the damping ratio, natural frequency, and mode shape of a structure. In addition, results of field measurements and modal identification can be used for modal updating of FEM analysis, for checking the efficiency of damping devices and so on. This paper shows some examples of field measurements and modal identification for structural health monitoring. As the first example, changes of dynamic characteristics of a 15-story office building in four construction stages from the foundation stage to completion are described. The dynamic characteristics of each construction stage were modeled as accurately as possible by FEM, and the stiffness of the main structural frame was evaluated and the FEM results were compared with measurements performed on non-load-bearing elements. Simple FEM modal updating was also applied. As the next example, full-scale measurements were also carried out on a high-rise chimney, and the efficiency of the tuned mass damper was investigated by using two kinds of modal identification techniques. Good correspondence was shown with vibration characteristics obtained by the 2DOF-RD technique and the Frequency Domain Decomposition method. As the last example, the wind-induced response using RTK-GPS and the feasibility of hybrid use of FEM analysis and RTK-GPS for confirming the integrity of structures during strong typhoons were shown. The member stresses obtained by hybrid use of FEM analysis and RTK-GPS were close to the member stresses measured by strain gauges.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.615-627
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• 2013

One of the most common defects in reinforced concrete bridge decks is corrosion of steel reinforcing bars. This invisible defect reduces the deck stiffness and affects the bridge's serviceability. Regular monitoring of the bridge is required to detect and control this type of damage and in turn, minimize repair costs. Because the corrosion is hidden within the deck, this type of damage cannot be easily detected by visual inspection and therefore, an alternative damage detection technique is required. This research develops a non-destructive method for detecting reinforcing bar corrosion. Experimental modal analysis, as a non-destructive testing technique, and finite element (FE) model updating are used in this method. The location and size of corrosion in the reinforcing bars is predicted by creating a finite element model of bridge deck and updating the model characteristics to match the experimental results. The practicality and applicability of the proposed method were evaluated by applying the new technique to a two spans bridge for monitoring steel bar corrosion. It was shown that the proposed method can predict the location and size of reinforcing bars corrosion with reasonable accuracy.