Damage Evaluation in Shells from Changes in Its Static Parameters

Abstract

Displacements of a structure depend on its geometry, properties of the material and acting loads. The presence of cracks in the structures originates local rigidity changes affecting its static and dynamic behavior. In this paper different methodologies for damage identification, based on the static response of reinforced concrete shells are formulated. The first three damage analysis stages, namely, detection, location and quantification are analysed using as study parameters the vertical displacement, elastic curvature, elastic curvature variation and volumetric displacements. Numerical simulations were carried out, with models analyzed by the Finite Element Method. In order to validate the damage identification capability of the proposed methodologies the sensitivities of the various parameters proposed for damage identification were investigated.