Structural damage detection and localization by response change diagnosis

The need for quantitative, global damage detection methods applicable to complex structures is pushing structural engineering research toward processes able to outline changes in the system response. Indicators of the onset and progress of structural damage should also be coupled with approaches enable one to identify and diagnose the nature of the damage. This paper, after a short overview on the recent developments within structural health assessment, focuses on the potential of response surface schemes when formulated as statistical methods of discriminant analysis: from the comparison of two approximations, not only the damage, but also its location is inferred.