Observed displacement data-based identification method of structural damage in concrete dam

•We study a method for localization and severity assessment of structural damages in concrete dams.•Observed displacement data of concrete dam are used to identify structural damage.•The index identifying structural damage is proposed.

A method for localization and severity assessment of structural damages in concrete dams is proposed. The algorithm works are based on observed displacement data that respond from the structures. Statistical pattern recognition based structural damage detection is often developed exploiting the methods of inversion analysis. The relationship between the observed displacement and damage identification of concrete dams is studied. By using the inversion method, the functional relationship between the observed displacement and damage information is developed to calculate the damage defining parameters, which are damage location and severity, are updated through an optimization scheme. Meanwhile, the damage index of a concrete dam is determined with these methods and principles. These indexes have been applied into the safety monitoring of that dam and satisfactory result has been achieved.