A rapid approach for urban-scale assessment of building dynamic properties

The dynamic properties of building structures are inherent characteristics that play a crucial role in structural dynamic analysis, seismic assessment, vibration control, and finite element model updating. At the urban scale, dynamic characteristic parameters are of even greater importance, serving as key reference data for government emergency response, disaster prevention, and urban reconstruction. Traditional field measurements of dynamic parameters are limited by complex equipment operation, inconvenient transportation, and high equipment costs, making large-scale surveys challenging. To address this issue, the present study proposes a novel approach for acquiring building dynamic properties using self-developed portable devices, aiming to support large-scale urban building dynamic parameter assessments. The method requires only a single operator carrying a wireless accelerometer and a smartphone equipped with data acquisition software. Structural vibration signals are collected via the accelerometer, and subsequently analyzed and processed directly on the smartphone to rapidly identify dynamic parameters. This approach was applied to 22 buildings on the campus of Tongji University. The identified dynamic parameters closely matched those obtained through conventional testing methods, while the required testing time was significantly reduced, demonstrating the convenience and feasibility of the proposed method.