In this paper, a subspace fitting method is proposed to update, in the time domain, the finite element model of a rotating machine. The procedure is achieved by minimizing an error norm, leading to the comparison between experimental and theoretical observability matrices. Experimental observability matrix is obtained through a MOESP subspace identification algorithm, by projecting the output signal onto some appropriate subspaces, resulting in a cancellation of input excitations and noises. The theoretical observability matrix is obtained from modal parameters of a finite element model of the structure. The minimization procedure is carried out through a Gauss-Newton algorithm. The method is applied to determine the foundation stiffness of an experimental rotating machine subject to a random noise.
