Application of Rotational Measurements in Stiffness Reconstruction of Beams and Frames

A stiffness reconstruction method is tested when rotational degrees of freedom are added to the dynamic model of the structure. The inverse problem is formulated as a minimization problem in terms of harmonic vibrations of the structure and its finite element model. An example of frame structure is analyzed by numerical simulations. The results of these numerical analyses show that the damage detection appeared to be much more effective when the angular amplitudes of harmonic vibrations are acquired. This makes very good prospects for the future applications of angular sensors in damage detection of structures.