Damage Assessment of Existing Structures

Important structures are frequently tested and inspected by structural engineers following the occurence of a hazardous event such as a strong-motion earthquake. Usually, voluminous data are obtained from such an inspection. While it is relatively simple to understand various experimental and analytical procedures in the investigation of any particular structure, the complex decision-making process summarizing the many results of such an investigation into a simple concluding statement remains privileged and specialized knowledge for highly qualified structural engineers. In this report, an attempt is made to explore the application of fuzzy sets as an alternative or supplementary approach or both, to assessing the damage state of existing structures. This proposed methodology can be used to incorporate the experience, intuition, and judgment of various experts, who may be willing to verbalize their valuable knowledge in advancing the state of the art of our profession.