The structural health monitoring of high-rise buildings based on ambient vibration tests data

This thesis aims to monitor the structural health of high-rise buildings based on dynamic characteristics (natural frequencies, damping ratios, and mode shapes) obtained through Ambient Vibration Tests (AVTs). The dynamic characteristics of two reinforced concrete buildings having 23 and 26 stories, were determined using both analytical and experimental methods. For this purpose, a finite element model (FEM) of the 26-story building was created using the ETABS structural analysis software. Modal analyses were conducted through this FEM, and dynamic characteristics of the building were obtained analytically. Additionally, the dynamic characteristics of both the 23-story and 26-story buildings were determined experimentally through AVTs. Two measurements were taken from the 26-story building with a one-year interval, while continuous experimental measurements were carried out over one year for the 23-story building. The obtained experimental data were used to investigate whether there were any changes in the dynamic characteristics of the buildings under study. Furthermore, the experimental data were compared with the analytical results. The effects of the February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes—described as the disaster of the century—on the structural responses of the selected buildings during the continuous measurement phase were also examined. The data obtained were analyzed through changes in the modal parameters of the structures.