A fast damage detecting technique for indeterminate trusses

Abstract

    Detecting the damage of indeterminate trusses is of major importance in the literature. This paper proposes a quick approach in this regard, utilizing a precise mathematical approach based on Finite Element Method. Different to a general two-step method defined in the literature essentially based on optimization approach, this method consists of three steps including Damage-Suspected Element Identification step, Imminent Damaged Element Identification step, and finally, Damage Severity Detection step and does not need any optimizing algorithm. The first step focuses on the identification of damage-suspected elements using an index based on modal residual force vector. In the second step, imminent damage elements are identified among the damage-suspected elements detected in the previous step using a specific technique. Ultimately, in the third step, a novel relation is derived to calculate the damage severity of each imminent damaged element. To show the efficiency and quick function of the proposed method, three examples including a 25-bar planar truss, a 31-bar planar truss, and a 52-bar space truss are studied; results of which indicate that the method is innovatively capable of suitably detecting, for indeterminate trusses, not only damaged elements but also their individual damage severity by carrying out solely one analysis.