Structural damage estimation based on measurements of rotations
First Claim
1. A method for assessing structural damage to a building, the method comprising:
- measuring by multiple sensors attached to structural columns of the building corresponding point rotations, wherein each of the multiple sensors measures a point rotation relative to gravity derived from measured acceleration magnitudes along each axis of a multi-axis micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometer;
wirelessly transmitting by the multiple sensors to a central unit the corresponding point rotations;
estimating by the central unit from the measured point rotations corresponding residual drifts of the structural columns using a model of plastic deformation of the columns; and
estimating structural damage to the building from the estimated residual drifts by determining a damage state from performance-based earthquake engineering performance thresholds that relate residual drift to damage.
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Abstract
Structural damage to a building is assessed based on measurement of point rotations using MEMS accelerometer sensors attached to structural columns of a building. The measured point rotations are wirelessly transmitted to a central unit which estimates residual drifts of the structural columns using a model of plastic deformation of the columns that incorporates empirically predetermined structural parameters of the columns such as a height of a column plastic bending point or a column curvature coefficient. The structural damage to the building is then estimated by determining a damage state from performance-based earthquake engineering performance thresholds that relate residual drift to damage. In some embodiments, multiple sensors are attached to each structural column of the building and measure corresponding point rotations at multiple points along the height of the column.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method for assessing structural damage to a building, the method comprising:
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measuring by multiple sensors attached to structural columns of the building corresponding point rotations, wherein each of the multiple sensors measures a point rotation relative to gravity derived from measured acceleration magnitudes along each axis of a multi-axis micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometer; wirelessly transmitting by the multiple sensors to a central unit the corresponding point rotations; estimating by the central unit from the measured point rotations corresponding residual drifts of the structural columns using a model of plastic deformation of the columns; and estimating structural damage to the building from the estimated residual drifts by determining a damage state from performance-based earthquake engineering performance thresholds that relate residual drift to damage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification