Abstract: A method for monitoring damage to a structure having an actuator and a sensor. The method includes exciting the actuator across a predetermined frequency range to excite the structure, measuring a vibrational characteristic of the structure across the predetermined frequency range in response to the excitation of the actuator using the sensor, calculating a transfer function for the actuator and the sensor using the measured vibrational characteristic, determining a change in the vibrational characteristic across the predetermined frequency range using the transfer function, and analyzing the determined change in the vibrational characteristic across the predetermined frequency range to facilitate determining whether the structure is damaged.

Abstract: A method, a computer-readable medium, and a system for tuning a cost function to control an operational plant are provided. A plurality of cost function parameters is selected. Predicted future states generated by the neural network model are selectively incorporated into the cost function, and an input weight is applied to a control input signal. A series of known signals are iteratively applied as control input inputs, and the cost output is calculated. A phase is taken of the control and plant outputs in response to each of the known signals and combined, thereby allowing effective combinations of the cost function parameters, the input weight, and the predicted future states to be identified.