System and method for determining the risk of failure of a structure
OwnerThomas Arthur Winant, Alan Peter Jearyinventors
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Abstract
A system and method for measuring dynamic properties of a structure, and for using the measured dynamic properties to assess the dynamic performance of the structure. The system and method measures dynamic properties of the structure such as frequencies of resonance, mode shapes, and non-linear damping, and uses them in an analysis of the structure to compare the dynamic response of the structure with the anticipated properties of a structure built according to applicable building code requirements. The system and method thus quantifies a risk of failure of the structure by determining a risk ratio that compares an as-is condition of the structure with an as-designed condition of the structure.
Claims21
A system for quantifying a risk of failure of a structure in response to an event, the structure being designed to withstand an event not exceeding an event limit, the structure having an as-designed condition, the system comprising:
- at least one sensor placeable at a location of the structure and configured to detect movement of the structure at the location and to generate an output signal indicative of movement of the structure at the location;
- a computing device having a processor and memory and being connectable to the at least one sensor, the computing device comprising:
- a data collection module to receive the output signal and store the output signal as measured data in memory;
- a data processing module to determine a dynamic response of the structure from the measured data, wherein determining the dynamic response includes determining one of a spectral response, a mode shape, and a non-linear damping characteristic, the data processing module further determining an as-is condition from one of the spectral response, mode shape and non-linear damping characteristic;
- and
- a risk ratio processor to determine a risk ratio of the structure by comparing the as-is condition with the as-designed condition, the risk ratio quantifying a risk of failure of the structure to withstand an event limit.
A method for quantifying a risk of failure of a structure in response to an event, the structure being designed to withstand an event not exceeding an event limit, the structure having an as-designed condition, the method being carried out by a system comprising:
- at least one sensor placeable at a location of the structure and configured to detect movement of the structure at the location and to generate an output signal indicative of movement of the structure at the location;
- a computing device having a processor and memory and being connectable to the at least one sensor, the computing device having a program of instruction stored in memory that, when executed, cause the processor to:
- receive the output signal and store the output signal as measured data in memory;
- determine a dynamic response of the structure from the measured data, wherein determining the dynamic response includes determining one of a spectral response, a mode shape, and a non-linear damping characteristic, the data processing module further determining an as-is condition from one of the spectral response, mode shape and non-linear damping characteristic;
- and
- determine a risk ratio of the structure by comparing the as-is condition with the as-designed condition, the risk ratio quantifying a risk of failure of the structure to withstand an event limit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.