Determining the size and location of transverse cracks in beams

TLDR: In this paper, the spectral element method is combined with a stochastic genetic algorithm to give a scheme that can locate and size cracks in structural components, and the results are demonstrated with experimental data from an aluminum beam with a transverse crack.

Abstract: The spectral element method, which is very suitable for solving inverse dynamic problems, is combined with a stochastic genetic algorithm to give a scheme that can locate and size cracks in structural components. The mechanical model is based on an approach that separates the global structural dynamics from the local crack-tip zone dominated by singular stresses. The global model, consisting of connected waveguides, describes the structural dynamics using spectral elements. The local model, describing the crack-tip behavior, is based on the relation between the stress-intensity factor and the stored strain energy representing the crack region. The results are demonstrated with experimental data from an aluminum beam with a transverse crack.