Abstract
The variable matrices method, that was based on the properties that adaptive structures could identify their own unknown structural characteristics by their variable and controllable structural parameters, was proposed to identify structural matrices. Also, the effect of the number of variable structural parameters and identifiable degress of freedom of the structural matrix on the accuracy of identification was shown. A simple spring-mass system attached with variable stiffness spring was demonstrated to investigate the limits and possibilities of the proposed methods. Numerical examples showed that some combinations of measured mode, location of variable parameters and their changing range had difficulties to identify the exact stiffness matrix, while the other combinations identified exact one.
