This paper proposes an autoencoder based framework for structural

damage identification, which can support deep neural networks and be

utilized to obtain optimal solutions for pattern recognition problems of
highly non-linear nature, such as learning a mapping between the
vibration characteristics and structural damage.

Chathurdara Sri Nadith Pathirage et al., “Structural Damage Identification

Based on Autoencoder Neural Networks and Deep Learning,” Engineering
Structures 172, no. April (2018): 13–28,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2018.05.109.

The use of deep generative models (DGMs) such as variational

autoencoders, autoregressive models, flow-based

models, energy-based models, generative adversarial networks, and

diffusion models has been advantageous in vari-

ous disciplines due to their high data generative skills. Using DGMs has
become one of the most trending research

topics in Artificial Intelligence in recent years. On the other hand, the

research and development endeavors in the civil

structural health monitoring (SHM) area have also been very progressive
owing to the increasing use of Machine

Learning techniques. As such, some of the DGMs have also been used in
the civil SHM field lately. This short review

communication paper aims to assist researchers in the civil SHM field in

understanding the fundamentals of DGMs

and, consequently, to help initiate their use for current and possible future
engineering applications. On this basis, this

study briefly introduces the concept and mechanism of different DGMs in

a comparative fashion. While preparing this

short review communication, it was observed that some DGMs had not
been utilized or exploited fully in the SHM

area. Accordingly, some representative studies presented in the civil SHM

field that use DGMs are briefly overviewed.

The study also presents a short comparative discussion on DGMs, their

link to the SHM, and research direction
A brief introductory review to deep generative models for civil structural
health monitoring

 August 2023

 AI in Civil Engineering 2(9)

Furkan Lüleci

Necati Catbas

The major focus of SHM studies in recent years has been on developing
vibration-based damage detection algorithms and using machine learning,
especially deep learning-based approaches. Most of the deep learning-
based methods proposed for damage detection in civil structures are
based on supervised algorithms that require data from the healthy state
and different damaged states of the structure in the training phase. As it
is not usually possible to collect data from damaged states of a large civil
structure, using such algorithms for these structures may be impractical.
This paper proposes a new unsupervised deep learning-based method for
structural damage detection based on convolutional autoencoders (CAEs).
The main objective of the proposed method is to identify and quantify
structural damage using a CAE network that employs raw vibration signals
from the structure and is trained by the signals solely acquired from the
healthy state of the structure.

Unsupervised Structural Damage Detection Technique Based on a

Deep Convolutional Autoencoder

Zahra Rastin, Gholamreza Ghodrati Amiri, Ehsan Darvishan

First published: 2021

https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6658575

Citations: 26
 Tsou and Shen [11] proposed the use of Neural Networks (NNs) for
predicting the severity and location of the structural damage. They used
the variations in the modal properties of the structure as the damage
feature to identify the damage.

Worden et al. [12] proposed outlier analysis to compute the deviation of

structural response from its normal condition for detecting the damage by
solving a novelty detection problem.

Zhao et al. [13] explored the efficiency of counter-propagation NNs to

locate the structural damage and identify the support movement of
beams in their axial direction.

Yam et al. [14] presented a method based on capturing the variations in

the energy of the structural vibrations using wavelet transform and
Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs).

Zhang et al. [15] proposed the regression tree and random forest to
evaluate the post-earthquake structural safety.

Sajedi and Liang [16] proposed a near real-time damage detection

framework based on a fully convolutional encoder–decoder NN.

Salkhordeh et al. [17] proposed a decision-tree based algorithm for

identifying the structural damage in braced-frame buildings.

Neves et al. [18] presented a dynamic decision-making algorithm to

conduct the structural health monitoring in bridges. They used the
Bayesian theorem to update the prior possibilities of the structural
condition based on the new information provided by the system. Different
optimization algorithms can be used to tune the hyperparameters of the
machine learning algorithms [19], [20], [21], [22]. In general, the
application of signal processing methods along with machine learning
algorithms plays an imperative role in implementing these approaches [1],
[1], [23], [24].
 LETERATURE SURVEY
Hossein Mahmoudi et al. [1] (2023) proposed a machine learning based damage detection
framework for identifying the damage of concrete shear wall buildings. for this they
determine a machine learning algorithm to classify the damage states of the building.
According to there study the KNN learner was selected as the reference prediction model
because of the high accuracy achieved by that algorithm.

Isaac Osei Agyemang et al. [2] (2023) Introduced ExpoDet, a comprehensive framework
designed for autonomous health inspection and infrastructure assessment. ExpoDet features a
multi-detection detector, autonomous navigation for micro aerial vehicles facilitated through
secondary reward reinforcement learning, and a damage aggregation scheme for autonomous
health assessment following detections.

Hafiz Suliman Munawar, Fahim Ullah, Danish Shahzad, Amirhossein Heravi, Siddra
Qayyum and Junaid Akram [9] (2022) Proposed a modified version of deep hierarchical CNN
architecture, based on 16 convolution layers and cycle generative adversarial network
(CycleGAN), to predict pixel-wise segmentation in an end-to-end manner using the images of
Bolte Bridge and sky rail areas in Victoria (Melbourne). The convolutedly designed model
network proposed is based on learning and aggregation of multi-scale and multilevel features
while moving from the low convolutional layers to the high-level layers, thus reducing the
consistency loss in images due to the inclusion of CycleGAN.

Yaru liu et al. [3] (2022) have investigated a novel method on Artificial neural network
(ANN) and Bayesian probability framework (BPF). The Back propagation technique and
super vised learning is used to obtain relationship of displacement responses and external
forces rather than fussy formula deduction.

Savino, Tondolo [10] (2021) presents a method for automating concrete damage classification
using a deep convolutional neural network. The convolutional neural network was designed
after an experimental investigation of a wide number of pretrained networks, applying the
transfer-learning technique. Training and validation were conducted using a database built
with 1352 images balanced between “undamaged”, “cracked”, and “delaminated” concrete
surfaces.
Arman Malekloo, Ekin Ozer, Mohammad AlHamaydeh and Mark Girolami. [7] (2021) the
complex nature of data-driven civil infrastructures monitoring frameworks has not been fully
matured. Machine learning (ML) algorithms are thus providing the necessary tools to
augment the capabilities of SHM systems and provide intelligent solutions for the challenges
of the past. This article aims to clarify and review the ML frontiers involved in modern SHM
systems.

Zahra Rastin et al. [4] (2021) proposes a new unsupervised deep learning-based method for
structural damage detection based on convolutional autoencoders (CAEs). The main objective
of the proposed method is to identify and quantify structural damage using a CAE network
that employs raw vibration signals from the structure and is trained by the signals solely
acquired from the healthy state of the structure.

Onur Avci, Osama Abdeljaber, Serkan Kiranyaz, Mohammed Hussein, Moncef Gabbouj,
Daniel J. Inman [8] (2020) With emerging computing power and sensing technology in the
last decade, Machine Learning (ML) and especially Deep Learning (DL) algorithms have
become more feasible and extensively used in vibration-based structural damage detection
with elegant performance and often with rigorous accuracy.

Pangjo Chun, Isao Ujike, Kohei Mishima, Masahiro Kusumoto, Shinichiro Okazaki. [6]
(2020) have developed a method to evaluate the degree of corrosion of steel rebar. One of the
artificial intelligence methods, Random Forest, worked well for internal damage assessment.
Authors have conducted damage detection on an actual bridge by the developed method.

Chathurdara Sri Nadith Pathirage et al. [5] (2018) There paper proposes an autoencoder based
framework for structural damage identification, which can support deep neural networks and
be utilized to obtain optimal solutions for pattern recognition problems of highly non-linear
nature, such as learning a mapping between the vibration characteristics and structural
damage.
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