Velázquez-Carrasquillo, Luis R.

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    Wavelet based damage detection in civil structures subjected to earthquake loads
    (2011) Velázquez-Carrasquillo, Luis R.; Montejo-Valencia, Luis A.; College of Engineering; Martínez Cruzado, José A.; Suárez, Luis E.; Department of Civil Engineering; Colón, Omar
    During a seismic event, structural damage may result from the vibration of the structure in response to ground shaking at its foundation. The assessment of structural damage after a seismic event is required to identify unsafe structures. However, a comprehensive application of localized damage detection methods to a complex structure is a lengthy and expensive assignment that can even become dangerous in the case of post-earthquake inspections. Current efforts have focused on the possibility of real time (or near real-time) damage identification from the examination of the dynamic response of the structure. Analysis of the structural response registered during the earthquake is performed using advanced mathematical tools (like the Wavelet or Hilbert-Huang Transforms) that allow for simultaneous time frequency examination. The occurrence of damage is then associated with any changes in the instantaneous frequency (IF) or singularities in the high frequency response. Unfortunately, most of the proposed methodologies have been validated through numerical models in which the hysteretic and non-linear behavior proper of the elements of a civil structure is misrepresented by assuming linear or multi-linear behavior at most. In this research we evaluate the application of wavelet based methods for damage identification of reinforced concrete structures subjected to seismic loads. Evaluation of the methods is performed using state-of-the-art nonlinear-fiber-based models capable of replicating the actual nonlinear hysteretic response of reinforced concrete members. It was found that application of such techniques is largely limited by the high frequency content of the excitation and the modeling assumptions. Methodology refinements are proposed to ameliorate these problems.