Dynamic Identification Techniques to Numerically Detect the Structural Damage

Damage detection in civil engineering structures using changes in measured modal parameters is an area of research that has received notable attention in literature in recent years. In this paper two different experimental techniques for predicting damage location and severity have been considered: the Change in Mode Shapes Method and the Mode Shapes Curvature Method. The techniques have been applied to a simply supported finite element bridge model in which damage is simulated by reducing opportunely the flexural stiffness EI. The results show that a change in modal curvature is a significant damage indicator, while indexes like MAC and COMAC – extensively and correctly used for finite element model updating - lose their usefulness in order to damage detection.