A method for quantifying damage in a test structure having a plurality of transducer units coupled to at least one portion of the test structure includes: (a) training an evaluating algorithmic system coupled with the transducer units to establish a trained algorithmic system able to recognize a plurality of characteristics of signals traversing a plurality of paths through a training structure substantially similar to the test structure after the training structure is damaged. Each path is situated between a respective pair of transducer units coupled to the training structure; the plurality of characteristics relates each path to a plurality of physical aspects of the damage. A trained algorithmic system is employed to recognize the plurality of characteristics of signals traversing paths in the test structure to effect the quantifying. The plurality of physical aspects includes less than ten physical aspects.