Investigation of dynamic behaviours of reinforced concrete structures by using environmental vibration data

Many engineering structures such as buildings, bridges and dams have a great importance for social and economical lives of the societies living nearby due to their functionalities. The long-term usage of these structures depends on knowing dynamic behaviours of these structures sufficiently well, and their repair & retrofit when needed. Dynamic characteristics or modal parameters of structures (natural frequencies, mode shapes and damping ratios) are important means to determine/estimate their dynamic behaviors. Currently, theoretical and experimental methods are used to determine such dynamic characteristics of structures. In this study, the dynamic characteristics of Karabulut Apartments A Block, built as reinforced concrete in the Doğukent neighborhood in Elazığ, are determined by use of environmental vibration data. Then, finite element model of this building is updated. Initial analytical model of the building is first created by using project data and dynamic characteristics of the building are determined based on it. Next, real dynamic characteristics of the building are experimentally obtained by using Operational Modal Analysis Method. The analytical model of the building is updated by comparing the results of numerical and experimental methods.