Full Dynamic Compound Inverse Method for seismic output-only element-level and input identification: Unitary formulation and extensive validation

The present work develops a unitary formulation of a novel deterministic output-only system identification and input estimation technique named Full Dynamic Compound Inverse Method (FDCIM) and outlines a systematic investigation on its consistent adoption within seismic engineering, by considering specific aspects of Signal Processing and producing a complete statistical evaluation. The achieved comprehensive FDCIM technique successfully estimates, all together: modal properties, element-level structural characteristics and earthquake input time history. Here, previous detached seminal contributions are first rejoined, in order to deal with various forms of structural viscous damping. Then, a wide database of ten selected real seismic excitations is taken into account to generate a set of synthetic earthquake-induced structural response signals, from a benchmark low-rise three-storey shear-type frame and from a realistic mid-rise ten-storey building. Such synthetic signals, possibly affected by noise of a controlled amount, are successfully processed via FDCIM and the achieved results demonstrate, as a first necessary validation condition, the consistency of the present identification algorithm toward potential Structural Health Monitoring purposes within the earthquake engineering range. Finally, a closing validation is proposed with the use of real earthquake-induced response signals, from an instrumented case study out of the CESMD database, with rather promising identification outcomes.