Crack detection in a beam with an arbitrary number of transverse cracks using genetic algorithms

In this paper, a crack detection approach is presented for detecting depth and location of cracks in beam-like structures. For this purpose, a new beam element with an arbitrary number of embedded transverse edge cracks, in arbitrary positions of beam element with any depth, is derived. The components of the stiffness matrix for the cracked element are computed using the conjugate beam concept and Betti’s theorem, and finally represented in closed-form expressions. The proposed beam element is efficiently employed for solving forward problem (i.e., to gain precise natural frequencies and mode shapes of the beam knowing the cracks’ characteristics). To validate the proposed element, results obtained by new element are compared with two-dimensional (2D) finite element results and available experimental measurements. Moreover, by knowing the natural frequencies and mode shapes, an inverse problem is established in which the location and depth of cracks are determined. In the inverse approach, an optimization problem based on the new finite element and genetic algorithms (GAs) is solved to search the solution. It is shown that the present algorithm is able to identify various crack configurations in a cracked beam. The proposed approach is verified through a cracked beam containing various cracks with different depths.