Model updating for real time dynamic substructures based on UKF algorithm

Combining the advantages of numerical simulation with experimental testing, real-time dynamic substructure (RTDS) testing provides a new experimental method for the investigation of engineered structures. However, not all unmodeled parts can be physically tested, as testing is often limited by the capacity of the test facility. Model updating is a good option to improve the modeling accuracy for numerical substructures in RTDS. In this study, a model updating method is introduced, which has great performance in describing this nonlinearity. In order to determine the optimal parameters in this model, an Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF)-based algorithm was applied to extract the knowledge contained in the sensors data. All the parameters that need to be identified are listed as the extended state variables, and the identification was achieved via the step-by-step state prediction and state update process. Effectiveness of the proposed method was verified through a group of experimental data, and results showed good agreement. Furthermore, the proposed method was compared with the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF)-based method, and better accuracy was easily found. The proposed parameter identification method has great applicability for structural objects with nonlinear behaviors and could be extended to research in other engineering fields.