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Published April 1980 | public
Journal Article

Structural Identification Using Linear Models and Earthquake Records

Abstract

The problem of determining linear models of structures from seismic response data is investigated using ideas from the theory of system identification. The approach is to determine the optimal estimates of the model parameters by minimizing a selected measure-of-fit between the responses of the structure and the model. Because earthquake records are normally available from only a small number of locations in a structure, and because of noise in the records, it is necessary in practice to estimate parameters of the dominant modes in the records, rather than the stiffness and damping matrices of the linear model. A new algorithm is developed to determine the optimal estimates of the modal parameters. After tests with simulated data, the method is applied to a multi-storey building using records from the 1971 San Fernando earthquake in California. New information is obtained concerning the properties of the lower modes of the building and the time-varying character of the equivalent linear parameters.

Additional Information

Copyright © 1980 John Wiley & Sons. Received 24 May 1979, Revised 3 October 1979. The authors wish to acknowledge that part of the research was conducted under a grant from the National Science Foundation (No. ENV 77-23687). The first author also gratefully acknowledges the financial support received from the National Research Advisory Council of New Zealand during this investigation.

Additional details

Created:
August 19, 2023
Modified:
October 18, 2023