Differential Evolution Algorithm for Dynamic Structural Identification

In the present article, differential evolution algorithm is used to perform structural identification of mass and stiffness properties of civil structures from dynamic test results. Identification is performer initially starting from exact values of modal parameters (frequencies and mode shapes). Robustness of the algorithm is then tested by adopting pseudo-experimental input data, obtained by adding to exact data some statistic scattering, representing experimental measurement error. Different objective functions are adopted in identification procedure, and results are compared with those obtained adopting classical gradient method. The method is used to identify masses, elastic moduli, and stiffnesses of external constraints of a RC frame structure and a steel–concrete bridge. Numerical results confirm that adopting both frequencies and mode shapes instead of frequencies only strongly increases sensitivity of objective function to identification parameters. Scattering of identified parameters is much smaller, with coefficient of variation of the same order of magnitude of that of pseudo-experimental data used as input values in dynamic identification procedure.