Mechanics-informed autoencoder enables automated detection and localization of unforeseen structural damage

Abstract Structural health monitoring ensures the safety and longevity of structures like buildings and bridges. As the volume and scale of structures and the impact of their failure continue to grow, there is a dire need for SHM techniques that are scalable, inexpensive, can operate passively witho...

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Main Authors: Xuyang Li, Hamed Bolandi, Mahdi Masmoudi, Talal Salem, Ankush Jha, Nizar Lajnef, Vishnu Naresh Boddeti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-10-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-52501-4
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author Xuyang Li
Hamed Bolandi
Mahdi Masmoudi
Talal Salem
Ankush Jha
Nizar Lajnef
Vishnu Naresh Boddeti
author_facet Xuyang Li
Hamed Bolandi
Mahdi Masmoudi
Talal Salem
Ankush Jha
Nizar Lajnef
Vishnu Naresh Boddeti
author_sort Xuyang Li
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Structural health monitoring ensures the safety and longevity of structures like buildings and bridges. As the volume and scale of structures and the impact of their failure continue to grow, there is a dire need for SHM techniques that are scalable, inexpensive, can operate passively without human intervention, and are customized for each mechanical structure without the need for complex baseline models. We present a novel “deploy-and-forget” approach for automated detection and localization of damage in structures. It is a synergistic integration of entirely passive measurements from inexpensive sensors, data compression, and a mechanics-informed autoencoder. Once deployed, the model continuously learns and adapts a bespoke baseline model for each structure, learning from its undamaged state’s response characteristics. After learning from just 3 hours of data, it can autonomously detect and localize different types of unforeseen damage. Results from numerical simulations and experiments indicate that incorporating the mechanical characteristics into the autoencoder allows for up to a 35% improvement in the detection and localization of minor damage over a standard autoencoder. Our approach holds significant promise for reducing human intervention and inspection costs while enabling proactive and preventive maintenance strategies. This will extend the lifespan, reliability, and sustainability of civil infrastructures.
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spelling doaj-art-d062a002c8ac4efbb624a1e4a50600ef2025-08-20T02:11:26ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232024-10-0115111310.1038/s41467-024-52501-4Mechanics-informed autoencoder enables automated detection and localization of unforeseen structural damageXuyang Li0Hamed Bolandi1Mahdi Masmoudi2Talal Salem3Ankush Jha4Nizar Lajnef5Vishnu Naresh Boddeti6Michigan State UniversityMichigan State UniversityMichigan State UniversityMichigan State UniversityMichigan State UniversityMichigan State UniversityMichigan State UniversityAbstract Structural health monitoring ensures the safety and longevity of structures like buildings and bridges. As the volume and scale of structures and the impact of their failure continue to grow, there is a dire need for SHM techniques that are scalable, inexpensive, can operate passively without human intervention, and are customized for each mechanical structure without the need for complex baseline models. We present a novel “deploy-and-forget” approach for automated detection and localization of damage in structures. It is a synergistic integration of entirely passive measurements from inexpensive sensors, data compression, and a mechanics-informed autoencoder. Once deployed, the model continuously learns and adapts a bespoke baseline model for each structure, learning from its undamaged state’s response characteristics. After learning from just 3 hours of data, it can autonomously detect and localize different types of unforeseen damage. Results from numerical simulations and experiments indicate that incorporating the mechanical characteristics into the autoencoder allows for up to a 35% improvement in the detection and localization of minor damage over a standard autoencoder. Our approach holds significant promise for reducing human intervention and inspection costs while enabling proactive and preventive maintenance strategies. This will extend the lifespan, reliability, and sustainability of civil infrastructures.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-52501-4
spellingShingle Xuyang Li
Hamed Bolandi
Mahdi Masmoudi
Talal Salem
Ankush Jha
Nizar Lajnef
Vishnu Naresh Boddeti
Mechanics-informed autoencoder enables automated detection and localization of unforeseen structural damage
Nature Communications
title Mechanics-informed autoencoder enables automated detection and localization of unforeseen structural damage
title_full Mechanics-informed autoencoder enables automated detection and localization of unforeseen structural damage
title_fullStr Mechanics-informed autoencoder enables automated detection and localization of unforeseen structural damage
title_full_unstemmed Mechanics-informed autoencoder enables automated detection and localization of unforeseen structural damage
title_short Mechanics-informed autoencoder enables automated detection and localization of unforeseen structural damage
title_sort mechanics informed autoencoder enables automated detection and localization of unforeseen structural damage
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-52501-4
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