Experimental validation of a signal-based approach for structural earthquake damage detection using fractal dimension of time frequency feature

This article extends a signal-based approach formerly proposed by the authors, which utilizes the fractal dimension of time frequency feature (FDTFF) of displacements, for earthquake damage detection of moment resist frame (MRF), and validates the approach with shaking table tests. The time frequency feature (TFF) of the relative displacement at measured story is defined as the real part of the coefficients of the analytical wavelet transform. The fractal dimension (FD) is to quantify the TFF within the fundamental frequency band using box counting method. It is verified that the FDTFFs at all stories of the linear MRF are identical with the help of static condensation method and modal superposition principle, while the FDTFFs at the stories with localized nonlinearities due to damage will be different from those at the stories without nonlinearities using the reverse-path methodology. By comparing the FDTFFs of displacements at measured stories in a structure, the damage-induced nonlinearity of the structure under strong ground motion can be detected and localized. Finally shaking table experiments on a 1:8 scale sixteen-story three-bay steel MRF with added frictional dampers, which generate local nonlinearities, are conducted to validate the approach.