Weighting ensemble least-square method for flutter derivatives of bridge decks

In this paper, a reliable but simple identification method, here called the weighting ensemble least-square method (WELS), has been developed to extract all eight flutter derivatives of bridge deck from free vibration records. For every wind speed, free vibration test of section model is generally repeated several times in order to obtain more reliable parameter estimates. In the WELS method, many free vibration records at the same wind speed are regarded as an ensemble. The common mode parameters are then identified simultaneously from the ensemble data. The parameter fit is obtained by a nonlinear least-square method. Weighting factors are proposed to make each experiment record with the same weight in total residual error analysis. The ensemble composed of many records can reduce the effect of the colored noise of few records on the convergence of least-square iteration process. The flutter derivatives of two section models are identified to indicate the reliability and effectiveness of the WELS method.