3. Optimal Selection of Artificial Boundary Conditions for Model Update and Damage Detection – Part 1: Theory

Sensitivity-based model error localization and damage detection is hindered by the relative differences in modal sensitivity magnitude among updating parameters. The method of artificial boundary conditions is shown to directly address this limitation, resulting in the increase of the number of updating parameters at which errors can be accurately localized. Using a single set of FRF data collected from a modal test, the artificial boundary conditions (ABC) method identifies experimentally the natural frequencies of a structure under test for a variety of different boundary conditions, without having to physically apply the boundary conditions, hence the term “artificial.” The parameter-specific optimal ABC sets applied to the finite element model will produce increased sensitivities in the updating parameter, yielding accurate error localization and damage detection solutions. A method is developed for identifying the parameter-specific optimal ABC sets for updating or damage detection, and is based on the QR decomposition with column pivoting. Updating solution residuals, such as magnitude error and false error location, are shown to be minimized when the updating parameter set is limited to those corresponding to the QR pivot columns. The existence of an optimal ABC set for a given updating parameter is shown to be dependent on the number of modes used, and hence the method developed provides a systematic determination of the minimum number of modes required for localization in a given updating parameter. These various concepts are demonstrated on a simple model with simulated test data.