Improving the performance of model-based damage detection methods through the use of an updated analytical model

The advantages of finite-element model updating in association with a model-based method for structural damage localisation are investigated. An approach designed to identify and locate delamination damages in carbon fibre reinforced polymers is used. The method is based on a correlation between measured damage-induced modal damping variations from an elasto-mechanic structure and the corresponding data from a numerical model in order to derive information on the damage location. Using a numerical model enables to locate damage in a three-dimensional structure from experimental data obtained with only a single response sensor. To acquire sufficiently accurate experimental data a polynomial curve fitting technique is used to extract damping parameters from measured frequency responses. It will be shown that in order to achieve a good localisation precision the numerical model must retain a high degree of accuracy and physical consistency.