Precise and automatic identification of structural properties is a vital step toward detection and localization of damage in structures. However, even simple structures may present a complex dynamical behavior, and a large number of poles for a given frequency interval. This complexity leads often to numerical problems, like spurious modes in the identified model. In this article it is proposed a novel frequency-windowed subspace identification method, suitable to perform reduced-order identification, using band-limited excitation. The proposed methodology is employed to identify natural frequencies and damage detection of an experimental bench. Experimental results show its effectiveness to improve model identification. It is also shown that the frequency-windowing subspace identification is able to enhance damage detection, by generating more accurate damage indexes. © 2012 IFAC.8PART 17277Int. Fed. Autom. Control Tech. Comm. Fault Detect.,,Superv. Saf. Tech. Process.,IFAC Tech. Comm. Model., Identif. Signal Process. (TC 1.1),IFAC Technical Committee on Mechatronic Systems (TC 4.2),IFAC Technical Committee on Chemical Process,Control (TC 6.1)Balageas, D., Fritzen, C.P., Güemes, A., (2006) Structural Health Monitoring, 496p. , London: ISTE, 2006Basseville, M., Benveniste, A., Goursat, M., Hermans, L., Mevel, L., Van Der Auwerauer, H., Output-only subspace-based structural identification: From theory to industrial testing (2001) Transactions of ASME, 123, pp. 668-676Basseville, M., Mevel, L., Goursat, M., Statistical model-based damage detection and localization: Subspace-based residuals and damage-to-noise sensitivity ratios (2004) Journal of Sound and Vibration, 275, pp. 769-794Chang, F.-K., Structural health monitoring: Condition-based maintenance (2011) Proceedings of 8 th International Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring, , Stanford, USAEwins, D.J., (2000) Modal Testing: Theory, Practice and Application, , Research Studies Press ltd, PhiladelphiaFritzen, C.P., Kraemer, P., Self-diagnosis of smart structures based on dynamical properties (2009) Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 23, pp. 1830-1845Inocente-Junior, N.R., Nóbrega, E.G.O., Mechbal, N., Realtime structural health monitoring using parity residue analysis (2009) International Congress of Mechanical Engineering, , Gramado, RS, BrasilJuang, J.-N., (1994) Applied System Identification, , Prentice Hall, New JerseyKatayama, T., (2005) Subspace Methods for System Identification: A Realization Approach, , (Communications and control engineering). Springer-Verlag, LondonMcKelvey, T., Akçay, H., Ljung, L., Subspace-based multivariable system identification from frequency response data (1996) IEEE Trans on Automatic Control, 41, pp. 960-978Mercère, G., Lecoeuche, S., Lovera, M., Recursive subspace identification based on instrumental variable unconstrained quadratic optimization (2004) Int J Adapt Control Signal Process, 18 (9-10), pp. 771-797Peeters, B., De Roeck, G., Reference-based stochastic subspace identification for output-only modal analysis (1999) Mech Sys Sig Proc, 13 (6), pp. 855-878Saeed, K., Mechbal, N., Coffignal, G., Vergé, M., Subspace-based damage localization using artificial neural network 18th mediterranean conference on control and automation (2010) MED'10 - Conference Proceedings, pp. 563-568Sohn, H., Farrar, C.R., Hemez, F.M., Czarnecki, J.J., Shunk, D.D., Stinemates, D.W., Nadler, B.R.A., Review of structural health monitoring literature: 1996-2001 (2003) Los Alamos National Laboratory Report, LA-13976-MSSu, Z.Q., Ye, L., (2009) Identification of Damage Using Lamb Waves, , SpringerVan Der Auweraer, H., Leurs, W., Mas, P., Hermans, L., Modal parameter estimation from inconsistent data sets (2000) Proc Int ModalVan Overschee, P., De Moor, B., (1996) Subspace Identification for Linear Systems, , Kluwer Academic Press, BostonWorden, K., Dulieu-Barton, J.M., An overview of intelligent fault detection in systems and structures (2004) Structural Health Monitoring, 3 (1), pp. 85-98Worden, K., Farrar, C.R., Manson, G., Park, G., The fundamental axioms of structural health monitoring (2007) Proc. R. Soc. A, 463, pp. 1639-1664