Estimating damage level in reinforced concrete structures based on the detection of high-frequency transients

The current paper discusses a specific processing technique to be applied on structural response data during an earthquake event for the purpose of damage estimation. In essence the processing technique is a damage detection procedure which relies on detection of high-frequency transients generated during an earthquake response of an instrumented reinforced concrete structure. A damage indicator is mathematically formulated under the assumptions that the high-frequency transients are related to damage progression and that damage stops to accumulate at the deformation peaks of the structure. Finally, the entire procedure is demonstrated and validated with the help of response data from a shaking table test of a reinforced concrete column.