Dynamic Modeling of a Damaged Exhaust Structure

Abstract

The field of health monitoring of structures can play a very important role in monitoring and evaluating the integrity, safety and condition of the structures including the automotive components. In this work, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is used as a vibration analysis technique to approximate dynamic characteristics of an exhaust system. A model of a used exhaust component is analyzed to detect any damage or cracks that may be induced in the structure by analyzing the changes in natural frequency and the displacement or deformation using finite element analysis. Structural damaged has resulted in a variation of natural frequency, damping ratio and mode shapes has modified the dynamic behavior of the system. A finite element model has been developed to simulate different level of damage in the exhaust system. The significant changes in displacement or deformation between intact and damaged exhaust structure provides a good potential as a monitoring tool in order to identify or assess the damage induced in the exhaust pipe by converting the displacement into frequency spectrum.