Crack identification in plates-type structures using natural frequencies coupled with success-history based adaptive differential evolution algorithm

In this study, a new method for identifying and characterizing straight cracks in plate-like structures is presented. The method combines the finite element method (FEM) using the software Abaqus and the success history-based adaptive differential evolution algorithm (SHADE). The objective of the method is to minimize the mean relative error between the measured experimental frequencies of a plate with an unknown crack identity and the numerical frequencies obtained using the Shade-FEM approach. The crack identity is defined by its length, orientation, and centre coordinates. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, two strategies are applied. In the first strategy, the inverse problem is solved using the natural frequencies of a plate with a known crack identity obtained through modal simulation in Abaqus. In the second strategy, the experimental frequencies of a cracked plate are used. The results of the study demonstrate that the proposed approach achieves promising results with just a population size of 25 and 150 iterations. The outcomes show high accuracy, as indicated by a relative error of the objective function below 0.8%. Overall, the study demonstrates the effectiveness of using the Shade-FEM approach for identifying and characterizing straight cracks in plate-like structures, offering potential applications in various engineering and structural integrity fields