Multiple damage detection in unidirectional graphite-epoxy composite beams using particle swarm optimization and genetic algorithm

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology fordamage detection and localization in composite beams using vibration data, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Genetic Algorithm (GA). The data was acquired by developing a program that performs dynamic analysis of unidirectional graphite-epoxy composite beams based on the Finite Element Method (FEM). The objective func-tion makes use of natural frequencies and Modal Assurance Crite-rion. The proposed methodology is validated using numericallysimulated data and experimental data.Acomparative study between the performances of PSO and GA in detecting multiple and single damagescenariosis carried out. Then, the effect of noise is investigated by taking different noise levels in the modal data. It appears that the noise has a negligible effect on the performance of the presented approaches.