Assessment of structural integrity and durability-a task of experimental mechanics

The necessity of health-monitoring and supervising structures will be justified under aspects of reliability and safety as well as with regard to economical reasons. Considering the achievements in measurement techniques combined with computer techniques, the requirements on the evolution of efficient monitoring systems will be indicated. The prerequisite will be pointed out, to conceive such systems in close co-ordination with the mathematical modelling of the structure. This is inalienable with concern to system-identification, as generally the control-parameters cannot be measured directly; they are to calculate on the basis of the mathematical model and the measurable structural response symptoms. This requires mathematical complicate solution of inverse problems. During service/operation many effects give rise for degradation of the structural resistance, reducing the safety and the life-time as well. The results of system identification enable the determination of damage indicators, which provide information on the scale of degradation in the course of time to estimate the limit of service-life and the residual life-time.