Finite element model updating approach to damage identification in beams using particle swarm optimization

The use of vibration-based techniques in damage identification has recently received considerable attention in many engineering disciplines. While various damage indicators have been proposed in the literature, those relying only on changes in the natural frequencies are quite appealing since these quantities can conveniently be acquired. Nevertheless, the use of natural frequencies in damage identification is faced with many obstacles, including insensitivity and non-uniqueness issues. The aim of this article is to develop a viable damage identification scheme based only on changes in the natural frequencies and to attempt to overcome the challenges typically encountered. The proposed methodology relies on building a finite element model (FEM) of the structure under investigation. An improved particle swarm optimization algorithm is proposed to facilitate updating the FEM in accordance with experimentally determined natural frequencies in order to predict the damage location and extent. The method is tested on beam structures and was shown to be an effective tool for damage identification.