Reconstruction and Analysis of Impact Forces on a Steel-Beam-Reinforced Concrete Deck

Abstract

Impact forces applied to a steel-beam-reinforced concrete deck at various positions are reconstructed using an inverse algorithm based on dynamic signals captured using single-axis accelerometers. A deconvolution technique in the time domain utilising dynamic signals is adopted to reconstruct the impact force. Two deconvolution approaches are investigated, one with a transfer function in the convolution integral and the other without an explicit transfer function. The roles of the transfer function and regularisation are evaluated, addressing the efficiency of the methods and accuracy of reconstructed forces based on the coefficient of their correlation with the actual impact forces. The effects of some parameters on the accuracy of reconstructed impact force are studied, including the locations of impact and measurement points, the characteristics of reference impact force and the stiffness of impact hammer head. © 2016, Society for Experimental Mechanics.