Structural Identification Using the Applied Element Method: Advantages and Case Study Application

Abstract

Structural identification has continued to develop into a versatile tool for developing high fidelity analytical models of large civil structures that accurately reflect the measured in-service response. The results of successful structural identification have been applied to validate the performance of innovative systems and improve assessments of response analysis for operational and extreme loads. Furthermore, the developing field of vibration-based damage detection has sought to employ structural identification for long-term performance monitoring and condition assessment of aged structures. Overwhelmingly, the finite element method has served as the analytical framework for such models. However, alternative physics engines, such as the Applied Element Method, offer distinct advantages over the finite element method both with respect to the computational considerations in the identification process and with respect to the use of the calibrated model for assessment of structural response to extreme loads. A general framework for structural identification with applied elements is discussed, and advantages are contrasted with traditional finite element approaches. A case study application, a prestressed concrete double-tee joist roof tested in a full-scale building, is presented to demonstrate the approach and emphasize these advantages.