Damage detection of structures using signal processing and artificial neural networks

Abstract

This article presents a signal-based seismic structural health monitoring technique for damage detection and evaluating damage severity of a multi-story frame subjected to an earthquake event. As a case study, this article is focused on IASC–ASCE benchmark problem to provide the possibility for side-by-side comparison. First, three signal processing techniques including empirical mode decomposition, Hilbert vibration decomposition, and local mean decomposition, categorized as instantaneous time–frequency methods, have been compared to find a method with the best resolution in extracting frequency responses. Time-varying single degree of freedom and multiple degree of freedom models are used since real vibration signals are nonstationary and nonlinear in nature. Based on the results, empirical mode decomposition has proved to outperform than the others. Second, empirical mode decomposition is used to extract the acceleration response of the sensors. Next, a two-stage artificial neural network is used to classify damage patterns. The first artificial neural network identifies location and severity of damage and the second one calculates the severity of damage for the entire structure. IASC–ASCE benchmark problem is used to validate the proposed procedure. By taking advantage of signal processing and artificial intelligence techniques, damage detection of structures was successfully carried out in three levels including damage occurrence, damage severity, and the location of damage.