Finite Element Model Updating of Plate-like Structures Using Modal Holographic Measurement Field

Optical measurement techniques are very promising for finite element (F.E.) model updating or error localisation of plate-like structures in the field of structural dynamics. The purpose of this work is to investigate a way to better exploit the high spatial resolution inherent to these techniques in order to correct FE mesh discretisation errors and/or model parameter errors. An important assumption in F.E. model error detection is first to consider the initial mesh as sufficiently fine to well represent the measured (displacement or stress) field. In the case of model updating, the adjustment of the model is performed by minimising the difference between the outputs of the model and the exact solution with respect to design parameters. In the case of FE mesh adaptation, the exact solution has to be estimated whereas in the case of model parameter errors, the reference solution is assumed to be the measured one. The idea developed in this paper is to take advantage of the high spatial resolution offered by optical techniques to calculate successively two error estimators using only measurements. The experimental field is first used for the detection of singular regions corresponding to high gradients. This estimator indicates the regions where a mesh refinement is required. Thus a second estimator is calculated and used for parameter error detection.