Application of wavelet approach for ASCE structural health monitoring benchmark studies

This paper presents an application of wavelet analysis for damage detection and locating damage region(s) for the ASCE structural health monitoring benchmark data. The response simulation data were generated basically by a FEM program provided by the ASCE Task Group on Health Monitoring for a four-story prototype building structure subjected to simulated stochastic wind loading. Damage was introduced in the middle of response by breaking one or more structure elements such as interstory braces. Wavelets were used to analyze the simulation data. It was found that structural damage due to sudden breakage of structural elements and the time when it occurred can be clearly detected by spikes in the wavelet details. The damaged region can be determined by the spatial distribution pattern of the observed spikes. The effects of measurement noise and the severity of damage were investigated. The results in this paper illustrate a great promise of wavelet analysis for structural health monitoring, especially for an on-line application.