Identification of modal parameters of a time invariant linear system by continuous wavelet transformation

The applications of wavelet transforms have received significant attentions in many fields. This work proposes a procedure for identifying modal parameters of a linear system using the continuous wavelet transform. The merits of the proposed procedure over the exiting schemes of applying the wavelet transform to system identification for a linear system are in use of the time invariance property and filtering ability of the transform to enhance the efficiency of identifying the modal parameters of a structure from its earthquake responses or free vibration responses. The effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed procedure are validated via numerical simulations. The effects of noise and wavelet function on identifying the modal parameters of the structure are also explored in processing the numerically simulated acceleration responses of a six-story shear building subjected to base excitation. The dynamic characteristics of close modes are accurately determined. Finally, the proposed procedure is adopted to obtain the modal parameters of a three-story non-symmetric steel frame from its measured acceleration responses in a shaking table test. A total of nine modes are identified, including modes with high frequencies and very small amplitude.