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Most damage evaluation methods for a structure developed to date utilizes modal responses extracted from acceleration measurements, which involve inevitable errors during the extraction process. Also, displacements, obtained by integrating acceleration measurements, may contain serious deviation due to such errors as in initial conditions. However so far no attempt has been made to identify the feasibility of applying jerks and snaps in damage evaluation. In this study, the applicability of jerks and snaps to damage evaluation for a structure is conducted. The mean strain energy theory in time domain based on displacement measurements is utilized for the purpose of the study, and the feasibility of isolating local damage is verified via a numerical example of a simple beam. From the study, it is found that, unlike snaps, jerks can be utilized directly in evaluating damage in a structure.