Identification of the tensile force in high-tension bars using modal sensitivities

In certain field applications involving the repair or replacement of structural members, the knowledge of the tensile forces in tension members may be critical in the selection of the retrofit or rehabilitation process. To date, several methods have been presented to estimate in situ tensile forces using static and/or dynamic responses of the tension members. However, each and every one of these methods has its disadvantages as well as advantages in its procedures, level of accuracy, and equipment requirements. This paper presents a practical method to identify the tensile force in a hightension bar using the changes in the modal sensitivities. The methodology can identify not only the tensile force but also other related parameters such as the magnitude of end constraint. The methodology utilizes the sensitivity relationship between the natural frequencies, the structural parameters, and the tensile force in the member. In this paper, the basic elements of the approach are summarized and the proposed method is validated using both numerical and experimental data. Also, the impact of model uncertainty to the performance of the parameter identification is investigated.