Automated output-only dynamic identification of civil engineering structures

Modal-based damage detection algorithms are well-known techniques for structural health assessment, but they are not commonly used due to the lack of automated modal identification and tracking procedures. Development of such procedures is not a trivial task since traditional modal identification requires extensive interaction from an expert user. Nevertheless, computational efforts have to be carefully considered. If fast on-line data processing is crucial for quickly varying in time systems (such as a rocket burning fuel), a number of vibration-based condition monitoring applications are performed at very different time scales, resulting in satisfactory time steps for on-line data analysis. Moreover, promising results in the field of automated modal identification have been recently achieved. In the present paper, a literature review on this topic is presented and recent developments concerning fully automated output-only modal identification procedures are described. Some case studies are also reported in order to validate the approach. They are characterized by different levels of complexity, in terms of mode coupling, dynamic interaction effects and level of vibration. Advantages and drawbacks of the proposed approach will be pointed out with reference to available experimental results. The final objective is the implementation of a fully automated system for vibration-based structural health monitoring of civil engineering structures and identification of adequate requirements about sensor number and layout, record duration and hardware characteristics able to ensure a reliable low-cost health assessment of constructions. Results of application of the proposed methodology to modal parameter estimation in operational conditions and during ground motions induced by the recent L'Aquila earthquake will be finally presented and discussed. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.