A Novel Methodology for Structural Matrix Identification using Wavelet Transform Optimized by Genetic Algorithm

With the development of the technology and increase of human dependency on structures, healthy structures play an important role in people lives and communications. Hence, structural health monitoring has been attracted strongly in recent decades. Improvement of measuring instruments made signal processing as a powerful tool in structural heath monitoring. Wavelet transform invention causes a great evolution in signal processing. Wavelet transform decomposes a signal into several groups based on scaled and translated basic functions. In this study, a novel methodology based on wavelet transform using complex Morlet wavelet has been introduced for system identification. This process includes a multivariable constrained optimization problem for selecting suitable complex Morlet wavelet. Using selected wavelet, modal parameters and flexibility matrix of structure can be estimated properly. Because of small modal participation of higher mode; using finite number of modes leads to flexibility matrix with acceptable accuracy. Since damages cause change in structural properties, a damage index based on flexibility matrix has been applied and its performance has been investigated in some structures. Received: 20 April; Accepted: 15 October