Extensive amounts of operational data are generated over time by the health monitoring system of a structure's management system, yet there are few analysis algorithms which can tell the exact working state of the structure on-line. Good maintenance engineers need to know the exact location and state of the structural components after an earthquake or some attack or accident involving the structure, possibly within a matter of hours, and the client also demands a rapid diagnosis of the structure before making decisions on any necessary remedial work.

This book is devoted to the condition assessment of a structure under operational loading, with most of the illustrations related to a bridge deck under a group of moving vehicular loads. More generally, a wide variety of excitation forces can be exerted on a structure, from earthquake excitation, wind loading, vehicular loading or ambient excitation at the supports. Different algorithms may be used to enable real time identification with deterministic results on the state of the structure. This book also covers a group of damage-detection-oriented-models developed by the author, including a new decomposition of the system matrices of the beam element and plate element. Methods for extending the deterministic condition assessment to provide statistical information are also included. The methods and algorithms described can be implemented for the on-line condition assessment of a structure through model updating of the structure during the course of extreme loading such as an earthquake, or when under normal ambient excitation or operation excitation. Different sample structures are described and analysed, supplemented with major references.

This leading-edge work will be especially useful for researchers and graduate students, and it is also heavily rooted in advanced engineering practice.

Series: Structures and Infrastructures Series

Structures and Infrastructures comprises advanced-level books dealing with the maintenance, management, and cost analysis of structures and infrastructures. Topics treated include research, development and application of the most advanced technologies for analyzing, predicting, and optimizing the performance of structures and infrastructures, such as buildings, bridges, dams, underground construction, offshore platforms, pipelines, naval vessels, ocean structures, and nuclear power plants, as well as airplanes, aerospace, and automotive structures.

Themes featured are mathematical modeling, computer and experimental methods, practical applications in assessment and evaluation, construction and design for durability, decision making, deterioration modeling and aging, failure analysis, field testing, financial planning, inspection and diagnostics, life-cycle analysis and prediction, loads, maintenance strategies, management systems, nondestructive testing, maintenance and management optimization, specifications and codes, structural safety and reliability, system analysis, time-dependent performance, rehabilitation, repair, replacement, reliability and risk management, service life prediction, strengthening and whole life costing.

Siu-Seong Law is is an Associate Professor with the Civil and Structural Engineering Department of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, prior to which he spent several years in the civil engineering industry with especial experience with long-span bridges.