The accurate detection and characterization of nonlinearities associated with damage in structural systems is an area of vibration analysis that is being widely researched. In this paper, nonlinear behavior is considered a potential indicator of damage. Most conventional damage detection methods, such as those based on resonant frequencies and mode shapes, do not accurately identify the location and extent of nonlinearities present in a given structural system. As an extension of previous work at LANL, an effort is made to validate a damage detection method proposed by Adams [1]. This method states that the frequency response function (FRF) matrix obtained from a low-level vibration test approximates the underlying linear FRF matrix of the system. The nonlinear systems' responses to high level excitation are combined with the linear FRF in a classic feedback loop to obtain the contributions of nonlinear internal forces. The temporal and spatial characteristics of the nonlinearities present in a structural system are identified. An 8-DOF system is used as a test case to validate the aforementioned method. Results of the tests and important issues concerning the method are presented.
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