A robust damage detection method using short-time Fourier transform and beating phenomena is presented as an estimating tool of the healthiness of large structures. The present technique makes use of beating phenomena that manifest themselves when two signals of similar frequencies are added or subtracted. Unlike most existing methods based on vibration signals, the present approach does not require an analytic model for target structures. Furthermore, the main advantage of the proposed method compared to the competing diagnostic method using vibration data is its robustness. The proposed method is not affected by the amplitude of exciting signals and the location of exciting points. From a measuring view point. the location of sensing point have no influence on the performance of the present method. With a view to verifying the effectiveness of this method. a series of experiments are made and the results show its possibility as a robust damage diagnostic method.