Bifurcation boundary analysis as a nonlinear damage detection feature: Does it work?

Many systems in engineering and science are inherently nonlinear and require damage detection. For such systems, nonlinear damage detection methods may be useful. A bifurcation boundary analysis method as a new nonlinear damage detection tool was previously introduced in the literature to track bifurcation boundary changes due to damages over a small region of an aeroelastic panel model. Results of this method based upon a finite difference solution showed higher sensitivities to the small amount of damage than methods based upon linear models. In this paper, four methods including Finite Difference, Finite Element (FEM), Rayleigh-Ritz and Galerkin Approach are used to further investigate the sensitivity of the bifurcation boundary for damage detection. Results of the FEM and Rayleigh-Ritz method agree with each other and also show that the sensitivity of the bifurcation boundary to damage is much less than what previously reported when using a finite difference solution method. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

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Author Earl H. Dowell Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materia ...