An impedance analysis for crack detection in the Timoshenko beam based on the anti-resonance technique

An alternative technique for crack detection in a Timoshenko beam based on the first anti-resonant frequency is presented in this paper. Unlike the natural frequency, the anti-resonant frequency is a local parameter rather than a global parameter of structures, thus the proposed technique can be used to locate the structural defects. An impedance analysis of a cracked beam stimulated by a harmonic force based on the Timoshenko beam formulation is investigated. In order to characterize the local discontinuity due to cracks, a rotational spring model based on fracture mechanics is proposed to model the crack. Subsequently, the proposed method is verified by a numerical example of a simply-supported beam with a crack. The effect of the crack size on the anti-resonant frequency is investigated. The position of the crack of the simply-supported beam is also determined by the anti-resonance technique. The proposed technique is further applied to the “contaminated” anti-resonant frequency to detect crack damage, which is obtained by adding 1–3% noise to the calculated data. It is found that the proposed technique is effective and free from the environment noise. Finally, an experimental study is performed, which further verifies the validity of the proposed crack identification technique.