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Damage Detection Using Vibration Measurements

Article  in  Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering · January 1997

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 DAMAGE DETECTION USING VIBRATION MEASUREMENTS

Samer H. Petro, Shen-En Chen, Hota V. S. GangaRao, and Suhas Venkatappa

Constructed Facilities Center

West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV 26506-6103

ABSTRACT primary means of determining its condition. The

This paper presents work in progress towards the
development of an Armored Vehicle Launched
Bridge (AVLB) condition assessment system
using vibration measurements. The system will
eventually employ a remote laser vibration
sensor. This paper presents free vibration
analysis of natural frequencies, mode shapes, and
strain energy variations of free-free aluminum
beams having transverse cut(s). Preliminary
results indicate that natural frequencies and mode
shapes do not change significantly as a result of
damage. However, strain energy calculations
based on modal test data showed significant
change in the vicinity of damage.
NOMENCLATURE
v” : curvature at a beam cross-section
M : bending moment
E : modulus of elasticity
I : second moment of cross-sectional area
U : Strain Energy
SEDI : Strain Energy Damage Index
1. INTRODUCTION
Conventional bridge evaluation techniques rely
on the physical inspection of the structure as the
time consuming nature of these techniques
significantly increases evaluation costs and
prohibits adequate structural assessment on a
regular basis. Physical inspections are further
complicated by the subjective nature inherent in
the evaluation process, the lack of the equipment
necessary to perform proper inspections, and in
many cases, the inaccessibility of structural
members.
In view of these limitations, a sensor system
capable of accurate and efficient structural
evaluation would increase inspection team
productivity thereby permitting more complete
inspections to be performed more regularly.
Furthermore, a system capable of structural
evaluation based on non-contact laser vibration
measurements performed from extended ranges
would greatly simplify the inspection of most
structures.
The basic principle of using vibration monitoring
for the purpose of condition assessment relies on
the fact that the dynamic response is a sensitive
indicator of the structure’s integrity which is
correlated with stable and measurable parameters
that vary with damage. The use of dynamic
characteristics (natural frequency and mode shape
variations) of a structure to determine global

113
defects and deterioration have been researched
extensively (Adams et al. 1978, Cawley and
Adams 1979, and Mazurek and Dewolf 1990).
Numerous studies have indicated that an increase
in structural damage reflects a decrease in
natural frequencies of the structure. However,
changes in global natural frequencies due to
changes in stiffness (damage) are found to be
very small. Spyrakos et al. (1990) concluded
that global beam frequency shifts associated with
50% reduction in the flange cross-sectional area
result in less than 5% change in frequencies.
The problem of detecting damage in beams was
also studied by Rehm (1987). The investigators
concluded that a 30% reduction in the cross-
sectional area resulted in a decrease in global
natural frequency from 7.041 to 6.998 Hz (less
than 1% change). In addition, Alampalli and Fu
(1993) recently conducted a study to examine the
sensitivity of measured frequencies, damping
ratios, and mode shapes in detecting fatigue
cracks in wide-flange beams. The investigators
reported that the global frequency shifts resulted
in less than 1% change in frequency. On the
other hand, changes in the mode shape of the
structure were found to be more sensitive
indicators of damage than natural frequencies
(Tang and Leu 1991). Jain (1991) also using
modal properties to detect damage in a railway
bridge found that natural frequencies and mode
shapes can furnish only general information on
the damage state of a structure.
These limited frequency shifts and mode shape
variations are insufficient to evaluate the
structural integrity of a bridge. However, other
more sensitive methods based on changes in
flexibility matrices and strain energy variations to
detect damage in a structure are being developed
to effectively detect damage and deterioration.
Stubbs et al. (1995) used changes in the strain
energy stored in a structure to develop a damage
index to identify and locate defects. The
proposed dynamic characterization method uses
a similar approach to Stubbs (1995) in which
changes in strain energy as determined from the
changes in the curvature of the mode shapes in
114
undamaged/damaged cases are used to develop a
condition assessment algorithm.
This paper describes the preliminary experimental
work in which the concept of strain energy
variations is investigated. Also, an experimental
mode shape of the Armored Vehicle Launched
Bridge (AVLB) is presented. Since this is a first
step toward the development of a system capable
of structural evaluation based on laser vibration
measurements, only a limited number of
experiments based on contact measurements were
conducted and are presented in this paper.
2. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
The experimental investigation was designed to
develop a relationship between changes in strain
energy near the vicinity of a damage as
determined from the changes in the curvature of
the mode shapes in undamaged and “damaged”
cases. An aluminum plate 3 inches in width, 24
inches in length and 0.25 inch in thickness was
tested with and without damage. Damage was
simulated with a 1.5 inch transverse cut. Several
bending frequencies were identified and several
mode shapes were constructed. An instrumented
impact hammer (PCB 086CO3) was used to
excite the aluminum plate which was suspended
using elastic surgical tubing to simulate a free-
free boundary condition. A miniature B&K
accelerometer was placed at a single location at
the center of the specimen using bees wax.
Impacts were made along the center line of the
span with a 1.0 inch spacing between two
successive impacts (Figure I). The plate was
tested in both the undamaged and damaged
condition. The damage was inflicted on the same
plate to avoid errors due to dissimilar material
properties.
The time domain impact signals and the resulting
accelerations were acquired simultaneously using
a Tektronix VXI data acquisition system and
transformed to frequency response functions
(FRFs) using the software Dadisp (DSP
Development Company, V.4). 25,000 data points
were collected using a 25 KHz sampling rate.
The FRFs were used to determine the natural
frequencies and mode shapes.
3. FREQUENCY AND MODE SHAPE
ANALYSIS
Analysis of frequency was limited to the first 7
bending modes. Small frequency shifts between
the damaged and the undamaged condition were
observed. For example, the 5” natural frequency
for the uncut specimen occurred at 1178 Hz
while for the cut specimen it occurred at 1129
Hz. A frequency shift of only 4.3 % is noted.
The modal amplitudes were averaged and
normalized. An Spline curve-fit was used to
construct the mode shapes for the cut and uncut
aluminum plate (Figure 2).
These limited global frequency shifts and mode
shape variations are insufficient to evaluate the
structural integrity of a bridge. A more sensitive
analysis technique is definitely needed to amplify
the differences between damaged and intact
specimen. Changes in strain energy determined
from curvature mode shapes are presented next.
4. STRAIN ENERGY ANALYSIS
Curvature mode shapes are related to the flexural
stiffness at a beam cross-section by:
v” = A! (1)
EZ
where v” is the curvature at a section, M is the
bending moment, E is the modulus of elasticity,
and I is the second moment of the cross-sectional
area. If a damage (e.g., crack or an artificially
introduced cut) is induced in a structure, the
stiffness (EI) in the vicinity of damage is reduced
thereby increasing the curvature at that location.
The changes in curvature are local in nature,
therefore they are more sensitive to damage than
frequencies and mode shapes. The static strain
energy based on principles of mechanics can be
written as
115
(2)
where U is the bending strain energy stored in a
beam. By combining Equations 1 and 2, we can
express the strain energy in terms of mode shape
curvatures as
EZ(v”)‘dx
u=j- 2 (3)
LI
in which the integrations are carried over the
vicinity of damage location a-b. The curvature
(v”) and the subsequent integration can be
determined numerically. Figure 3 shows the
strain energy variations for the undamaged and
damaged case. A Strain Energy Damage Index
(SEDI) can then be calculated between the
damaged and undamaged cases.
S E D Z = “; ’ x 100 (4)
where U* is the strain energy in the vicinity of
damage and U is the strain energy in the same
vicinity with no damage. The strain energy is
determined for the entire span at several intervals
(i.e., zones) and the SEDI value increases as the
zone length decreases near the damage location.
5. AVLB MODE SHAPE
The Armored Vehicle Launch Bridge (AVLB) is
a folding scissors-type bridge that is currently in
service with the US Army. The bridge which is
hydraulically operated rides atop a military
vehicle called a launcher. The bridge itself is
constructed of high strength aluminum alloy and
steel, and is rated for normal crossing of military
loads at a maximum span of 60 feet. The bridge
consists of two treadways connected transversly
by structural members. E a c h treadway i s
composed of two center panel sections and two
ramp sections. The principal structural elements
of the bridge are the four pin-connected plate
of the bridge are the four pin-connected plate
girders which form the sides of the center and
end panel sections. Figure 4 shows an AVLB
located on West Virginia University campus in
Morgantown, West Virginia.
The first step of damage detection using SEDI
requires the determination of the undamaged
modal parameters. The dynamic behavior of the
AVLB has been studied using the vibration
testing procedures developed for the experimental
testing. Vibration data was recorded from a
single accelerometer location on the AVLB.
Impact was made on the four main girders of the
bridge at three feet spacings using an
instrumented impact hsmmer. The experimentally
determined FRF’s are then used to construct the
vibration mode shape. Figure 5 shows the
second bending mode shape of the AVLB which
corresponds to a frequency of 12.8 Hz.
6. CONCLUSIONS
Vibrational responses as characterized by modal
parameters such as natural frequencies, mode
shapes, and strain energies were investigated for
the purpose of damage detection. The results of
testing laboratory models indicated that natural
frequencies and mode shapes do not change
significantly as a result of damage. However,
strain energy calculations based on modal test
data showed significant change in the vicinity of
damage. As a first step in an AVLB condition
assessment system, an experimentally determined
AVLB mode shape was successfully constructed
from vibration measurements and the SEDI
algorithm will later be applied to reliably detect
damage.
7. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial
support from US ARMY (Project # DAAE07-95-
C-9004). The authors also acknowledge their
partners Litton Laser Systems.
116
8. REFERENCES
Adams, R.D., Cawley, P., Pye, C.J., and Store, B.J., 1978,
“A Vibration Technique for Nondestructively Assessing the
Integrity of Structures”, Journal of Mechanical Engineering
Science, Vol. 20 (No. 2), pp 93-100.
Alampalli, S., and Fu, G., 1993, “Sensitivity of Measured
Bridge Vibration to Fatigue Cracking”, Proceedings of the
64th shock and Vibration Symposium, Vol. 1, Fort Walton
Beach, FL
Cawley, P. and Adams, R.D., 1979, “The Locations of
Defects in Structures from Measurements of Natural
Frequencies”, Journal of Strain Analysis, Vol. 14, No. 2.
lain, B . K . 1991,“Diagnostic T h r o u g h E x p e r i m e n t a l
Vibration Signature Analysis of Prestressed Concrete
Bridges,” International Symposium on Fracture in Steel
and Concrete Structures, 1123-l 136.
Mazurek, D. F., and DeWolf, J. T., 1990, “Experimental
Study of Bridge Monitoring Technique”, Journal of
Structural Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 116, No. 9.
Rehm, G., 1987,“Nondestmctive Tests for Early Damage
Detection,” Proceedings, US-European Workshop on
Bridge Evaluation, Repair, and Rehabilitation, St.Remy-
Les-Chevreuse.
Spyrakos, C., Chen, H.L., Stephens, J. and Govindaraj,V.,
1990, “Evaluating Structural Deterioration Using Dynamic
Response Characterization,” Proceedings of The
International Workshop on Intelligent Structures, Taipei,
Taiwan, pp. 137-153.
Stubbs, N., J.-T. Kim, and C. R. Farrar 1995, “Field
Verification of a Nondestructive Damage Localization and
Severity Estimation Algorithm,” Proceedings of the 13th
International Modal Analysis Conference, 1, 210-218.
Tang, J. P. And K.-M. Leu, 1991, “Vibration Tests and
Damage Detection of P/C Bridges,” Journal of the Chinese
Institute of Engineers, Vol. 14, 531-536.1
 Figure 1 Experimental set-up.

‘, ;:
: ,!’
‘, ‘/ ’
-1.0 L
L!! ‘,~ I’ L 2
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0
Location (in)

Figure 2 Mode shapes for cut and uncut Aluminum plates

117
 Location (in)

Figul-
T -1 -sEDT
- for cut and uncut Aluminum plate

I
Figure 4 AVLB at West Virginia University

118
 15 30 45 60

SPAN (ft)

Figure 5 Second bending mode shape for AVLB

119

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