Dynamic testing for damage assessment as non-destructive method has attracted growing in-terest for systematic inspections and maintenance of civil engineering structures. In this con-text the paper presents the Stochastic Finite Element (SFE) Modeling of the static and dy-namic results of own four point bending experiments with R/C beams. The beams are dam-aged by an increasing load. Between the load levels the dynamic properties are determined. Calculated stiffness loss factors for the displacements and the natural frequencies show differ-ent histories. A FE Model for the beams is developed with a discrete crack formulation. Cor-related random fields are used for structural parameters stiffness and tension strength. The idea is to simulate different crack evolutions. The beams have the same design parameters, but because of the stochastic material properties their undamaged state isn't yet the same. As the structure is loaded a stochastic first crack occurs on the weakest place of the structure. The further crack evolution is also stochastic. These is a great advantage compared with de-terministic formulations. To reduce the computational effort of the Monte Carlo simulation of this nonlinear problem the Latin-Hypercube sampling technique is applied. From the results functions of mean value and standard deviation of displacements and frequencies are calcu-lated. Compared with the experimental results some qualitative phenomena are good de-scribed by the model. Differences occurs especially in the dynamic behavior of the higher load levels. Aim of the investigations is to assess the possibilities of dynamic testing under consideration of effects from stochastic material properties
The phenomenological and computational aspects of the various damage models applications for the low and multi cyclic fatigue processes are investigated. Damage is considered as internal state variable, describing macroscopic effects of the progressive material degradation, within the framework of continuum damage mechanics. Present analysis is restricted to the case of isotropic damage, which can be modeled by a scalar variable. The strain, force and power types of kinetic equations for the damage evolution description are considered. The original mixed strain-power type damage model is developed for taking into account the different physical fracture mechanism in monotone and cyclic loading. The constitutive equations of plastic flow theory coupled and uncoupled to damage has been considered. The rational algorithm of implementation into finite element code is considered for developed damage models. Set of the computational experiments has been carried out for the various structures (huge aerials, pipelines, fastening units, vessel of nuclear reactor) and cases of loading. The comparison of the predictions of the developed model with experimental data is performed for 1X18H10T steel tubular specimens for complex paths of loading and for complex profiles beams under cyclic loading. Damage field distribution is the basic information for the prediction of crack initiation in structures. The developed method of structural parameter for stress concentration zones is discussed for correcting of crack location. It allows to describe the crack initiation near surface domain as observe in numerous experiments.