This paper presents a method to identify damage in reinforced concrete beams based on the Ritz vectors. The Ritz vectors are derived from flexibility matrix and statistical approaches are utilized to detect damages. The procedure is evaluated by finite element models of reinforced concrete beams. The localization approach based on the Ritz vectors is applied to single, multiple and distributed damage scenarios. The validity of the method is demonstrated using experimental modal data of reinforced concrete beams monitored from initial state to failure in the laboratory. Numerical and experimental results show that the method successfully detects the damages by only a limited number of vibration modes.

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