• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.1A
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• pp.9-18
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• 2009

This paper introduces the application of DE (Differential Evolutionary) method for the estimation of tensile force of the externally prestressed tendon. The proposed technique, a SI (System Identification) method using the DE algorithm, can make global solution search possible as opposed to classical gradient-based optimization techniques. The numerical tests show that the proposed technique employing DE algorithm is a useful method which can detect the effective nominal diameters as well as estimate the exact tensile forces of the externally prestressed tendon with an estimation error less than 1% although there is no a priori information about the identification variables. In addition, the validity of the proposed technique is experimentally proved using a scale-down model test considering the serviceability state condition without and with the loss of the prestressed force. The test results prove that the technique is a feasible and effective method that can not only estimate the exact tensile forces and detect the effective nominal diameters but also inspect the damping properties of test model irrespective of the loss of the prestressed force. The 2% error of the estimated effective nominal diameter is due to the difference between the real tendon diameter with a wired section and the FE model diameter with a full-section. Finally, The accuracy and superiority of the proposed technique using the DE algorithm are verified through the comparative study with the existing theories.