Real-time parameter updating for nonlinear digital twins using inverse mapping models and transient-based features

In the context of digital twins, it is essential that a model gives an accurate description of the (controlled) dynamic behavior of a physical system during the system’s entire operational life. Therefore, model updating techniques are required that enable real-time updating of physically interpretable parameter values and are applicable to a wide range of (nonlinear) dynamical systems. As traditional, iterative, parameter updating methods may be computationally too expensive for real-time updating, the inverse mapping parameter updating (IMPU) method is proposed as an alternative. For this method, first, an artificial neural network (ANN) is trained offline using novel features of simulated transient response data. Then, in the online phase, this ANN maps, with little computational cost, a set of measured output response features to parameter estimates enabling real-time model updating. In this paper, various types of transient response features are introduced to update parameter values of nonlinear dynamical systems with increased computational efficiency and accuracy. To analyze the efficacy of these features, the IMPU method is applied to a (simulated) nonlinear multibody system. It is shown that a smart selection of features, based on, e.g., the frequency content of the transient response, can improve the accuracy of the estimated parameter values, leading to more accurate updated models. Furthermore, the generalization capabilities of the ANNs are analyzed for these feature types, by varying the number of training samples and assessing the effect of incomplete training data. It is shown that the IMPU method can predict parameter values that are not part of the training data with acceptable accuracy as well.