Structural Health Monitoring on Industrial Structures Using a Combined Numerical and Experimental Approach

Abstract

The Brandenburg industrial landscape is characterized by heavy industry sectors such as metallurgy and mining. Most of these industrial plants (ironworks, refineries, mines, etc.) have their origin in the state-planned rapid industrialization the German Democratic Republic underwent during the 1950s. Therefore, many critical constructive parts of these industrial plants have already surpassed their life expectancy or its remaining life expectancy can no longer be clearly determined due to poor documentation.

Heavy duty bridge cranes are an essential part of heavy industries or warehouses. During the course of their lives, these cranes and their rails are exposed to many different loads, damages and material fatigue processes during operation. Runway beams, those where the bridge crane runs on, are especially prone to the generation of cracks due to material fatigue. Condition monitoring and early damage detection can ensure the long-term load capacity and serviceability of bridge cranes, and contribute to a more cost-effective maintenance.

This paper presents the results of a feasibility study for a vibroacoustic damage detection procedure on bridge crane runway beams. A segment of a railway beam has been studied with experimental modal analysis and the results used to correlate and validate a FE model, generated by means of optical scanning. The modal analysis was performed by means of automatic impact excitation and Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometry. Several damage cases were later simulated in the FE model, evaluating this way the development potential for a vibroacoustic method for damage detection in bridge crane railway beams.