Sensitivity studies of parameters for damage detection of plate-like structures using static and dynamic approaches

In this paper, the sensitivities of static and dynamic parameters to damage occurring in plate-like structures are investigated systematically, and corresponding damage indices are proposed to analyse their identification capabilities. For static analyses, damage indices are formulated using the out-of-plane deflection, and its slope and curvature based on a finite element model; for dynamic analyses, two damage indices related to the curvature mode shape (CMS) and the strain frequency response function (SFRF) are proposed. Compared with the existing results, the effects of the numbers of the selected modes and defective areas on the CMS index and the influence of the “natural frequency shift” on the SFRF index are investigated. Numerical simulations and experimental tests are performed to verify the identification capability of the proposed indices, and guidance on selecting the proper parameters for damage detection is given.