Modal data-based breathing crack localization in beam-column structures subjected toaxial and transverse harmonic loading

Abstract

A sensitive modal data-based damage indicator is proposed to diagnose breathing cracks in beam-column structures subjected to axial load, as a percent of its critical value, and transverse harmonic load. The Newmark-Beta method is utilized to solve the equation of structural vibration, based on finite element method. The effect of Rayleigh-type damping is also examined. The indicator uses the modal deformations and their derivatives in healthy and damaged beam-column structures to identify the exact damage locations. The influence of some parameters such as noise effects and various axial loads on the efficiency of the method was also investigated. The results show the reliability of the approach in identifying the damage location for different scenarios, even in the presence of noise effect. Increasing the axial load, especially for values near to the critical load value, causes negative effects on the modal responses and their derivatives which are appropriately considered by the proposed index.