Optimization Algorithm and the Inverse Problems Applied to the Structural Damage Identification in Steel Beams with the use of FEM and Experimental Data

Resumo

Optimization problems in academia and industry are recurrent, in addition the structural elements
conditions over their lifetime when in use acquired differents damages from their natural deterioration or even
because of the exceptional causes that can cause these different magnitudes of damage. In this sense, to combine
the damages identification through optimization processes in the continuous search for more adequate means and
consequently the improvement of the available informations that characterizes the problems under essential study,
and constitutes one of the current engineering requirements, considering the evolutionary state of the structural
elements when in use. In this work, it is proposed the adjustment of experimentally steel beams structures tested,
from a static analysis by the Finite Element Method (FEM) using ANSYS© to obtain displacements, with the use
of inverse problems and an optimization method. From the adjusted models, damages in the structures are
simulated (elements stiffness properties reduction) and then an optimization technique and damage identification
are applied through the Differential Evolution Method. The modelled and experimentally steel beams structures
tested showed mostly consistent results and the DE technique showed good potential for solving damage
identification problems using Inverse Problems, achieving convergence in almost all cases.