Modal and Wave Propagation Analysis of Vibration Tests on a Laboratory Building Model Before and After Damage

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Weakened structural stiffness is often a consequence of building damage, particularly after severe events such as earthquakes, where compromised structural performance can pose significant risks. To prevent immediate structural failure, an early warning system is essential, which requires inspection of local components. This research aims to achieve that by exploring the wave propagation analysis method, specifically seismic interferometry. Previous studies have applied this method to building structures, treating them as homogeneous layers of grouped floors. By analyzing the wave travel time along the height of these layers, the fundamental period of the building was estimated. However, this approach did not account for local damage or the variability of structural components, similar to the limitations of vibration‐based damage detection methods, which mainly identify global changes. Thus, the goal of this paper is to improve structural health monitoring by examining the sensitivity of wave screening, bridging the gap between nondestructive testing and vibration‐based damage detection. A half‐scale, seven‐story building model, characterized by vertical stiffness irregularity and transverse plan asymmetry, was tested in a laboratory setting. Two vertical sensor arrays were placed near corner columns of different sizes, representing both strong and weak structural areas. These arrays recorded floor accelerations in three directions. The study confirmed the effectiveness of wave propagation analysis for detecting damage along the sensor arrays before and after the earthquake. A transmissibility damage indicator was used to correlate changes in wave velocity, providing a quantitative assessment of damage levels along the wave propagation path.