Implementation of online model updating in hybrid simulation

Abstract

SUMMARYHybrid simulation combines numerical and experimental methods for cost‐effective, large‐scale testing of structures under simulated earthquake loading. Structural system level response can be obtained by expressing the equation of motion for the combined experimental and numerical substructures, and solved using time‐stepping integration similar to pure numerical simulations. It is often assumed that a reliable model exists for the numerical substructures while the experimental substructures correspond to parts of the structure that are difficult to model. A wealth of data becomes available during the simulation from the measured experiment response that can be used to improve upon the numerical models, particularly if a component with similar structural configuration and material properties is being tested and subjected to a comparable load pattern. To take advantage of experimental measurements, a new hybrid test framework is proposed with an updating scheme to update the initial modeling parameters of the numerical model based on the instantaneously‐measured response of the experimental substructures as the test progresses. Numerical simulations are first conducted to evaluate key algorithms for the selection and calibration of modeling parameters that can be updated. The framework is then expanded to conduct actual hybrid simulations of a structural frame model including a physical substructure in the laboratory and a numerical substructure that is updated during the tests. The effectiveness of the proposed framework is demonstrated for a simple frame structure but is extendable to more complex structural behavior and models. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.