Seismic Damage Identification Using a Combination of Mixture of Gaussian and Harris Hawks Optimization

The present study aims to identify damage in structures using seismic responses and a two‐stage method based on mixture of Gaussian (MOG) and Harris hawks optimization (HHO). Two‐dimensional (2‐D) frame structures under seismic loads are simulated using the finite element method (FEM). The placement of sensors is optimized using a combination of an iterated improved reduced system (IIRS) and the binary differential evolution (BDE) algorithm. The MOG classifier is trained to find the damaged story and damaged element type (i.e., whether it is a beam or a column) using the nodal acceleration responses at the optimal sensor placement of the seismically loaded structure. Thus, as the first step, the possibly damaged elements are located through the classifier. Then, in the second step, the damage is accurately located and quantified by HHO algorithm. The performance of the proposed method is assessed using the numerical results of 2‐D frames of 7 and 14 stories in different damage scenarios with and without considering noise. As a result, the efficiency of the proposed method for the seismic damage identification of 2‐D frames is revealed. Sensor positions are well optimized, and it causes the method to be highly effective. Moreover, MOG correctly finds a damaged story and identifies whether a damaged element is a beam or a column. Damage in the presence of noise is also localized and quantified precisely by HHO.