Review on Adaptive UKF-Based Parameter Estimation for Bouc-Wen Model of Magnetorheological

Elastomer Materials Nan Wang ; Luyu Li, Ph.D. ; and Qi Wang

The study of structural dynamics has given a lot of attention to structural system identification. For
identifying inelastic response characteristics (such as its stiffness or damping coefficient) of a
structure to ground shaking. Hysteresis is a typical nonlinear phenomenon frequently encountered
in structural system.

Many hysteresis models for mechanical systems are preposed for identification of the nonlinear
structural system, such as the least-squares estimation (LSE), Kalman filter (KF), extended Kalman
filter (EKF), unscented Kalman filter (UKF), H∞filter, and sequential Monte Carlo method.

Kalman Filter (KF) is one of the powerful methods popular, as only the current observations are
needed for the new estimation and past measurements are not required to be stored. However, the
KF does not provide a satisfactory result for nonlinear structural system. While unscented Kalman
filter (UKF) is superior to KF as its less time consuming than the KF. Secondly it can handle higher
order nonlinearities, which is often encountered in structural systems. However, The UKF is
computationally expensive and numerical problem exist such as the loss of the positive definite of
the state covariance matrix.

For solving the encountered difficulties square root UKF (SQUKF) was developed, ensuring the
nonnegative definite of the state covariance and reduces the processing time. The SRUKF is
initialized by calculating the matrix square root of the state covariance once, and then for
subsequent iteration and a directly propagated and updated Cholesky factor rather than covariance
is used to form the sigma point. SQUKF have drawback such as it is sensitive to initial values of
parameter estimation and initial track error errors may lead to a heavy computational load and
divergent estimation results for the nonlinear structural systems.

So, the paper preposes a new method for the parameters initial value estimation, which is
optimized by considering both the physical and mathematical analysis and can also ensure that
the parameters in the constitutive equation be identified uniquely. Also, through numerical
investigation the performance of SRUKF and ASRUKF on estimating parameters on nonlinear
structural systems is compared.

To describe nonlinear hysteric system of Magnetorheological elastomeric materials (MREs) , a new

type of smart material , the Bouc-Wen model has been used. Having capabilities of capturing an
analytical form of a range of shapes of hysteretic cycles, matching the behaviour of a wide range of
hysteretic systems. Furthermore, using appropriate choices of parameters in modal, a wide variety
of softening or hardening smoothly varying or nearly bilinear hysteretic behaviour could be
presented using Bouc- Wen model

Numerical analysis of stiffness parameters for the three degrees of freedom system were
estimated with SRUKF and ASRUKF methods. ASRUKF method has a higher convergence speed,
lower estimation error of stiffness values than the SRUKF. Moreover, ASRUKF can track sudden
changes of stiffness and converge quickly after turbulence. ASRUKF could be used to analyse the
damage of structure due to earthquake more accurate in short time.

In Experimental analysis, The MRE conical isolator prototype was used to test the capabilities of the
ASRUKF for estimating the parameters of the nonlinear structural system with Bouc Wen model. On
the basis of experimental tests and processes data, the ASRUKF method shows good performance
to estimate the parameters. Moreover, the estimated parameters could also be used for other
working conditions and estimation errors are acceptable