Damage localization in a multistorey building under seismic excitation

This paper focuses on the application of the Interpolation Damage Detecting method (IDDM) to the 3D model of a high-rise reinforced concrete building under the assumption that a dense network of accelerometers is deployed to monitor the building seismic behavior. The IDDM is based on the assumption of a beam-like behavior of the monitored structure and on the interpolation of the operational displacement shapes via a cubic spline function. Several damage scenarios have been modeled considering both single and multiple locations of damage. Damage locations have been chosen so that the originally symmetric geometrical configuration of the building is altered thus increasing the contribution of torsional modes on the model response. Results show that in all cases the method is able to provide reliable indications about the correct location of damage, provided a relatively dense network of sensors is available to enable a consistent description of the operational deformed shapes before and after damage.