Experimental identification of dynamic parameters for steel beams by inverse analysis

• Published in: Inverse problems in science and engineering Vol. 17; no. 1; pp. 3 - 15
• Main Authors: Abdel-Mooty, M.N., Elshazly, H.A., Anwar, A.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 01.01.2009
• Subjects: experimental testing; inverse problems; Kalman filter; measurements
• ISSN: 1741-5977; 1741-5985
• DOI: 10.1080/17415970802082740

Inverse analysis is a promising tool of structural diagnosis in the building industry. Though the concept was imported to the field in the early 1980s, the application-oriented developments are still limited. Moreover, the number of investigations that involved experimental work is very small. The current investigation is intended to be an integral ring in the research chain leading to the customization of the inverse analysis in the diagnosis practice of the building industry. The study involves experimental excitation of steel beams with different dynamic characteristics. By utilizing the Kalman filter, as an inverse analysis tool, the experimental response histories were employed, as observations, to identify the simulation parameters of the test beams. The investigation demonstrated that the discrepancies in the stiffness parameters, which are clearly identified, were much smaller than those in the damping ones. This phenomenon is studied and the reason behind it is unveiled. Moreover, the findings of this experimental study highlight the need for further theoretical work to improve the damping identification accuracy.