Damage detection of beams using operational deflection shapes

Abstract

This work is an in-depth study of a boundary effect detection (BED) method for pinpointing locations of small damages in beams using operational deflection shapes (ODSs) measured by a scanning laser vibrometer. The BED method requires no model or historical data for locating structural damage. It works by decomposing a measured ODS into central and boundary-layer solutions using a sliding-window least-squares curve-fitting technique. For high-order ODSs of an intact beam, boundary-layer solutions are non-zero only at structural boundaries. For a damaged beam, its boundary-layer solutions are non-zero at the original boundaries and damage locations because damage introduces new boundaries. At a damage location, the boundary-layer solution of slope changes sign, and the boundary-layer solution of displacement peaks up or dimples down. The theoretical background is shown in detail. Noise and different types of damage are simulated to show how they affect damage locating curves. Experiments are performed on several different beams with different types of damage, including surface slots, edge slots, surface holes, internal holes, and fatigue cracks. Experimental results show that this damage detection method is sensitive and reliable for locating small damages in beams.