Static load deflection experiment on a beam for damage detection using the Deformation Area Difference Method

A reliable and safety infrastructure for both transport and traffic is becoming increasingly important today. The condition assessment of bridges remains difficult and new methods must be found to provide reliable information. A meaningful in-situ assessment of bridges requires very detailed investigations which cannot be guaranteed by commonly used methods. It is known that the structural response to external loading is influenced by local damages. However, the detection of local damage depends on many factors such as environmental effects (e.g. temperature), construction layer (e.g. asphalt) and accuracy of the structural response measurement. Within the paper, a new so-called Deformation Area Difference (DAD) Method is presented. The DAD method is based on a load deflection experiment and does not require a reference measurement of initial condition. Therefore, the DAD method can be applied on existing bridges. Moreover, the DAD method uses the most modern technologies such as high precision measurement techniques and attempts to combine digital photogrammetry with drone applications. The DAD method uses information given in the curvature course from a theoretical model of the structure and compares it to real measurements. The paper shows results from a laboratory load-deflection experiment with a steel beam which has been gradually damaged at distinct positions. The load size is chosen so that the maximum deflection does not exceed the serviceability limit state. With the data obtained by the laboratory experiment, the damage degree, which can still be detected by the DAD method, is described. Furthermore, the influence of measurement accuracy on damage detection is discussed