Reduction of Uncertainties for Damage Identification of Bridge Based on Fuzzy Nearness and Modal Data

To avoid the false results of deterministic identification methods induced by uncertainties, a fuzzy nearness-based method is proposed for the damage identification of bridge. An improved index based on ratios of modal shape components is used as identification measurements. The knowledge base for damage identification is established through corresponding relationship between fuzzified measurements and damage severities. The damage condition of test samples can be assessed based on approaching principle through fuzzy nearness with rules in knowledge base. A numerical analysis on a multigirder bridge considering uncertainty is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results indicate that the fuzzy nearness-based method can achieve an accurate identification with success rate up to 93.75%. Antinoise analysis and the ability for dealing with incomplete information reveal its robustness.