*4.3. Numerical Simulation*

The numerical model of the tie rod was developed as the Euler-Bernoulli beam element in SAP2000 software (Computers and Structures, Walnut Creek, CA, USA). The geometrical characteristics of tie rods—width and height—were assumed to be constant over their entire length and the rods were assumed to be homogenous throughout their volume. The material properties were based on literature review and taken as invariable; the elastic modulus E was considered as 185 GPa, the Poisson coe fficient ν as 0.3 and material density ρ as 7850 kg/m3. Once the modal parameters were experimentally obtained, a numerical model was updated while changing the boundary conditions from fixed to hinged. To construct a real-life model, boundary conditions were additionally tuned with spring coe fficients (stage 2 of the proposed methodology).
