Numerical Modeling of Lyapunov Exponents for Structural Damage Identification

Abstract

The main purpose of this article is to discuss the use of the Lyapunov exponents to evaluate the integrity of structures. The use of such coefficients is examined in an analysis that considers the geometric and physical nonlinearities, aiming to ensure the applicability of the method in robust simulations. The material nonlinearity is modeled using the multilinear isotropic elastoplastic model together with a recently developed damage model. The nonlinear equilibrium equations solution is obtained using the positional finite element method. The Newmark time-marching procedure is implemented to evaluate the Lyapunov coefficients and a nonlinear predictor technique that needs a single data series is employed. A numerical example of a frame structure is presented to illustrate the methodology applicability. Its results show that the Lyapunov exponents can be used as indicative parameters of structural integrity, since its analysis was able to detect the occurrence of the destabilization of the structure with the dynamic jump and the presence of material failures. The non-linear predictor proved to be an efficient technique for obtaining the Lyapunov exponents, with a low computational cost. The methodology presented to monitor structural integrity was shown to be a promising alternative.