A review of wavelet theory and its applications in structural and earthquake engineering

Wavelet transform, as an advanced tool for frequency analysis of waves, has various applications in different fields of engineering. The main characteristic of the wavelet transform, compared to more traditional frequency analysis tools such as the Fourier transform, is its ability to be time-frequency. In other words, by using the wavelet transform, it is possible to obtain the occurrence time of different frequencies in stable and unstable waves. In the last two decades, the use of this tool in structural and earthquake engineering has also extensively expanded. It can be said that this tool is used in structural and earthquake engineering in three main categories of frequency analysis of earthquake waves, damage detection and de-noising. In this article, wavelet theory is first explained in a way related to structural engineering and earthquakes. Then, in the next step, the important studies conducted in each of the mentioned fields are presented separately