Efficacy of Hilbert and Wavelet Transforms for Time-Frequency Analysis
Publication: Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Volume 132, Issue 10
Abstract
Two independently emerging time-frequency transformations in Civil Engineering, namely, the wavelet transform and empirical mode decomposition with Hilbert transform , are discussed in this study. Their application to a variety of nonstationary and nonlinear signals has achieved mixed results, with some comparative studies casting significant doubt on the wavelet’s suitability for such analyses. Therefore, this study shall revisit a number of applications of in the published literature, offering a different perspective to these commentaries and highlighting situations where the two approaches perform comparably and others where one offers an advantage. As this study demonstrates, much of the differing performance previously observed is attributable to representing nonlinear characteristics solely through the instantaneous frequency, with the wavelet relying on both this measure and the instantaneous bandwidth. Further, the resolutions utilized by the two approaches present a secondary factor influencing performance.
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Acknowledgments
The writers gratefully acknowledge support, in part, from the NSF (Grant No. CMS 00-85109) and the Center for Applied Mathematics at the University of Notre Dame. The writers are thankful to Professor John M. Niedzwecki for providing the wave tank data. Finally, the assistance of Ms. Lijuan Wang, of the University of Notre Dame, in processing of the freak wave data is gratefully acknowledged.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Volume 132 • Issue 10 • October 2006
Pages: 1037 - 1049
Copyright
© 2006 ASCE.
History
Received: Jul 27, 2004
Accepted: Aug 11, 2005
Published online: Oct 1, 2006
Published in print: Oct 2006
Notes
Note. Associate Editor: Nicos Makris
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