Nondestructive characterization of tie-rods by means of dynamic testing, added masses and genetic algorithms

The structural characterization of tie-rods is crucial for the safety assessments of historical buildings. The main parameters that characterize the behavior of tie-rods are the tensile force, the modulus of elasticity of the material and the rotational stiffness at both restraints. Several static, static–dynamic and pure dynamic nondestructive methods have been proposed in the last decades to identify such parameters. However, none of them is able to characterize all the four mentioned parameters. To fill this gap, in this work a procedure based on dynamic testing, added masses and genetic algorithms (GA) is proposed. The identification is driven by GA where the objective function is a metric of the discrepancy between the experimentally determined (by dynamic impact testing) and the numerically computed (by a fast and reliable finite element formulation) frequencies of vibration of some modified systems obtained from the tie-rod by adding a concentrated mass in specific positions.It is shown by a comprehensive numerical testing campaign in which several cases spanning from short, low-stressed, and almost hinged tie-rods to long, high-tensioned, and nearly clamped tie-rods, that the proposed strategy is reliable in the identification of the four unknowns. Finally, the procedure has been applied to characterize a metallic tie-rod located in Palazzo Paleotti, Bologna (Italy).

► A genetic algorithm procedure for the structural identification of tie-rods is proposed. ► Fitness function fed by numerical and experimental frequencies of vibration. ► Added mass strategy allows identifying asymmetrical boundary conditions. ► High reliability in identifying short/long low/high stressed hinged/clamped tie-rods. ► Being simple to implement and to apply the procedure has potential for practical applications.