Structural health monitoring methods based on modal properties have been proven to be well suited for infrastructure objects, e.g. bridges, buildings or wind turbines. The considerable size of these structures leads to long distances between the sensors and the signal processing units and a large number of sensors. To save cabling effort and lower the amount of data which has to be transmitted, the structural analysis may be decentralized with a network of smart sensors.In this paper, a strategy for decentralized signal analysis with the Random Decrement method is discussed. This method allows for the estimation of auto- and cross-correlation functions simply from triggered averaging of time histories. These serve as a basis for the modal decomposition by operational modal analysis methods. While the Random Decrement signatures can be processed in a decentralized way on the small microcontrollers commonly used, e.g. in wireless sensing applications, the deeper analysis of resonance frequencies and mode shapes is done by a central unit.After a short introduction into the theory of the Random Decrement method, its application in decentralized data acquisition is illustrated with a numerical example. Afterwards, a simple experimental structure exposed to actual wind loads is instrumented and the decentralized signal processing strategy is tested with the acquired data. A first algorithm for the modal decomposition of the estimated correlation functions is implemented and tested.

A. Friedmann

D. Mayer

M. Kauba

An Approach for Decentralized Mode Estimation Based on the Random Decrement Method

The damping properties of materials, joints, and assembled structures can be modeled efficiently by the use of fractional derivatives in their constitutive equations. The respective models describe the damping behavior accurately over broad ranges of time or frequency where only few material parameters are needed. They assure causality and pure dissipative behavior. The concept of fractional derivatives can be implemented into discretization methods such as the finite element method, the boundary element method, or the finite difference method. Due to the non-local character of fractional derivatives the whole deformation history of the structure under consideration has to be considered in time-domain computations. This leads to increasing storage requirements and high computational costs. A new concept for an effective numerical evaluation makes use of the equivalence between the Riemann-Liouville definition of fractional derivatives and the solution of a partial differential equation (PDE). The solution of the PDE is found by applying the method of weighted residuals where the domain is split into finite elements using appropriate shape functions. This approach leads to accurate results for the calculation of fractional derivatives where the numerical effort is significantly reduced compared with alternative approaches. Finally, this method is used in conjunction with a spatial finite element discretization and a simple rod structure is calculated. The results are compared to those obtained from alternative formulations by means of accuracy, storage requirements, and computational costs.

A. Schmidt

M. Lotsch

L. Gaul

Implementation of a New Method for the Computation of Fractionally Damped Structures into the Finite Element Method

Friction in joints significantly contributes to the observed overall damping of mechanical structures. Especially if the material damping is low, the frictional effects in joints and clamping boundary conditions dominate the structural damping. The damping and the stiffness of the structure are nonlinear functions of the system states and consequently of the excitation signal and amplitude. If these nonlinear effects should be incorporated in the design process, transient simulations must be employed in order to predict and analyze the damping for a given excitation, though they need excessive computation power due to the nonlinear constitutive laws and the high contact stiffnesses.As one approach to alleviate transient simulations, the application of component mode synthesis (CMS) methods to structures with friction is investigated exploiting the linearity of the jointed substructures. The friction and the nonlinear normal contact is modeled by constitutive laws that are implemented in node-to-node finite elements. The necessary considerations for accurate damping prediction by the reduced models, the accuracy and the computational times for transient simulations are discussed. The developed model reduction techniques allow a strong reduction of the computation time which in turn makes it a promising tool for model updating and predictive parameter studies. As an application example, a beam-like structure with attached friction damper is investigated in simulations and the obtained numerical results after model updating are compared to experiments.

Lothar Gaul

Jens Becker

Damping Prediction of Structures with Bolted Joints

Engineering structures incorporating viscoelastic materials are characterized by inherent uncertainties affecting the parameters that control the efficiency of the viscoelastic dampers. In this context, the handling of variability in viscoelastic systems is a natural and necessary extension of the modeling capability of the present techniques of deterministic analysis. Among the various methods devised for uncertainty modeling, the stochastic finite element method has received major attention, as it is well adapted for applications to complex engineering systems. In this paper, the stochastic finite element method applied to a structural three-layer sandwich plate finite element containing a viscoelastic layer, with random parameters modelled as random fields, is presented. Accounting for the dependence of the behaviour of the viscoelastic materials with respect to frequency and temperature, using the concepts of complex modulus and shift factor, the uncertainties are modelled as homogeneous Gaussian stochastic fields and are discretized according to the spectral method, using Karhunen-Lo&#xe8;ve expansions. The modeling procedure is confined to the frequency domain, and the dynamic responses are characterized by frequency response functions (FRF's). Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) combined with Latin Hypercube Sampling is used as the stochastic solver. The typically high dimensions of finite element models of viscoelastic systems combined with the large number of Monte Carlo samples to be computed make the evaluation of the FRF's variability computer intensive. Those difficulties motivate the use of condensation methods specially adapted for viscoelastic systems, in order to alleviate the computational cost. After the presentation of the underlying formulation, numerical applications of moderate complexity are presented and discussed aiming at demonstrating the main features and, particularly, the computation cost savings provided by the association of MCS with the suggested condensation procedure.

A.M.G. de Lima

D.A. Rade

N. Bouhaddi

Stochastic Modeling of Surface Viscoelastic Treatments Combined with Model Condensation Procedures

When deriving an experimental model from Frequency Response Functions (FRFs), it may happen that the measurement of certain FRFs is impossible. This may be an important issue, mainly in the field of condition monitoring and damage detection, since some points of interest may become inaccessible in operational conditions. In this circumstance, it is useful to have some tools that can provide the prediction of such dynamic information. The transmissibility concept, extended to a general multiple degree-of-freedom system, can play an important role to circumvent these situations. The authors have shown in previous works that the estimation of such FRFs can be made possible by invoking important properties associated with the transmissibility function. The objective of this work is to evaluate different sets of FRFs, estimated by using the transmissibility concept and its associated properties, in an actual continuous structure to which different patterns of structural modification are applied. A supplementary study in this work shows that some of the sets for applied forces/known responses can better estimate the FRF data.

R.A.B. Almeida

A.P.V. Urgueira

N.M.M. Maia

The Use of Transmissibility Properties to Estimate FRFs on Modified Structures

Nuno M. M. Maia

Miguel M. Neves

International Conference on Structural Engineering Dynamics &#x2013; ICEDyn 2009

This review paper deals with two problems in structural engineering dynamics; one is deterministic, the other is of stochastic nature. One problem is linear, the other is nonlinear. Authors have a biased preferential view on these problems because of their active involvement in the discussed research topics. Still, these two problems reflect, at least in a small manner, some developments in this vast and fascinating field. The first part deals with deterministic linear vibrations of double-walled carbon nanotubes either in classical or refined setting; the second part is devoted to the nonlinear random vibrations of structures.

I. Elishakoff

D. Pentaras

Some Modern Problems in Structural Engineering Dynamics

This article uses frequency domain transmissibility functions for detecting and locating damage in operational conditions. In recent articles numerical and experimental examples were presented and the possibility to use the transmissibility concept for damage detection seemed quite promising. In the work discussed so far, it was assumed that the operational conditions were constant, the structure was excited by a single input in a fixed location. Transmissibility functions, defined as a simple ratio between two measured responses, do depend on the amplitudes or locations of the operational forces. The current techniques fail in the case of changing operational conditions. A suitable operational damage detection method should however be able to detect damage in a very early stage even in the case of changing operational conditions. It will be demonstrated in this paper that, by using only a small frequency band around the resonance frequencies of the structure, the existing methods can still be used in a more robust way. The idea is based on the specific property that the transmissibility functions become independent of the loading condition in the system poles. A numerical and experimental validation will be given.

Christof Devriendt

Flavio Presezniak

Gert De Sitter

Katy Vanbrabant

Tim De Troyer

Steve Vanlanduit

Patrick Guillaume

Structural Health Monitoring in Changing Operational Conditions Using Tranmissibility Measurements

Experimental estimation of damping is currently not a comprehensively solved problem. Although modal frequencies and mode shapes can be measured confidently and quite easily by means of dynamic tests on civil structures, an accurate identification of damping ratios needs further development. Experimental values can be characterized by large error bounds mainly because damping is strongly influenced by the magnitude of the dynamic response of a structure.In this paper, the main issues concerning identification of modal damping ratios are discussed in order to define methods for their reliable estimation, to reduce uncertainties and characterize error bounds. According to this aim, a procedure for optimized modal parameter estimation via Stochastic Subspace Identification is also proposed. Then data collected from an extensive literature review are analyzed depending on the type of structure in order to point out the main factors affecting damping. Moreover, a comparison with provisions about structural damping given in National and International seismic codes for structural design of civil structures is reported. This process demonstrates that the development of a damping database based on homogeneous and reliable estimates is required for calibration of predictive formulations to be used in the framework of performance-based seismic design.

Carlo Rainieri

Giovanni Fabbrocino

Edoardo Cosenza

Some Remarks on Experimental Estimation of Damping for Seismic Design of Civil Constructions

About this journal

Shock and Vibration publishes papers on all aspects of shock and vibration, especially in relation to civil, mechanical and aerospace engineering applications, as well as transport, materials and geoscience.&nbsp;

Journal profile

Meet the editorial board

Chief Editor&nbsp;Dr Tai Thai&nbsp;is based at the University of Melbourne and his current research focuses on high strength materials for sustainable construction of buildings, bridges and other infrastructure.

Editor spotlight

Submit to Special Issue

We currently have a number of Special Issues open for submission. Special Issues highlight emerging areas of research within a field, or provide a venue for a deeper investigation into an existing research area.

Special Issues

Author guidelines

Editorial board

Databases and indexing

title

Shock and Vibration publishes papers on all aspects of shock and vibration, especially in relation to civil, mechanical and aerospace engineering applications, as well as transport, materials and geoscience. 

description

https://images.hindawi.com/journals/sv/sv.banner.jpg

twitter:card

twitter:description

twitter:site

twitter:title

twitter:url

twitter:image

Shock and Vibration | Hindawi

Shock and Vibration

This Issue is now open for submissions.
Papers are published upon acceptance, regardless of the Special Issue publication date.