CHAPTER

4
RESPONSE
TO PERIODIC
LOADING

4-1 FOURIER SERIES EXPRESSIONS OF PERIODIC LOADING

Trigonometric Form
Because any periodic loading can be expressed as a series of harmonic loading
terms, the response analysis procedures presented in Chapter 3 have a wide range
of applicability. To treat the case of an arbitrary periodic loading of period T p , as
indicated in Fig. 4-1, it is convenient to express it in a Fourier series form with harmonic
loading components at discrete values of frequency. The well-known trigonometric
form of the Fourier series is given by
∞
X ∞
X
p(t) = a0 + an cos ω n t + bn sin ω n t (4-1)
n=1 n=1

in which
2π
ωn = n ω1 = n (4-2)
Tp

p(t)

t
FIGURE 4-1
Tp Tp Tp Arbitrary periodic loading.

65
66 DYNAMICS OF STRUCTURES

and the harmonic amplitude coefficients can be evaluated using the expressions
Z Tp
1
a0 = p(t) dt
Tp 0
Tp
2
Z
an = p(t) cos ω n t dt n = 1, 2, 3, · · · (4-3)
Tp 0

Tp
2
Z
bn = p(t) sin ω n t dt n = 1, 2, 3, · · ·
Tp 0

When p(t) is of arbitrary periodic form, the integrals in Eqs. (4-3) must be evaluated
numerically. This can be done by dividing the period Tp into N equal intervals △t
(Tp = N △t), evaluating the ordinates of the integrand in each integral at discrete
values of t = tm = m △t (m = 0, 1, 2, · · · , N ) denoted by q0 , q1 , q2 , · · ·, qN , and
then applying the trapezoidal rule of integration in accordance with
Z Tp hq  NX
−1  q i
. 0 N
q(t) dt = △t + qm + (4-4)
0 2 m=1
2

In practical solutions, the beginning and end of the time period usually can be set so
that the ordinates q0 and qN are equal to zero, in which case, Eq. (4-4) simplifies to
Z Tp N −1
. X
q(t) dt = △t qm (4-5)
0 m=1

The harmonic amplitude coefficients of Eq. (4-3) then may be expressed as

1
2 p(tm )
 
a0 ) N −1

 

2△t X  
an = qm where qm = p(tm ) cos ω n (m△t) (4-6)
bn Tp m=1 
 

 
p(tm ) sin ω n (m△t)
Exponential Form
The exponential form of the Fourier series equivalent to Eq. (4-1) is obtained by
substituting the inverse Euler relations, Eqs. (2-23b) (with ω n t replacing the angle θ):
1h i
cos ω n t = exp(iω n t) + exp(−iω n t)
2
(4-7)
i h i
sin ω n t = − exp(iω n t) − exp(−iω n t)
2
into Eqs. (4-1) and (4-3) leading to
∞
X
p(t) = Pn exp(iω n t) (4-8)
n=−∞
 RESPONSE TO PERIODIC LOADING 67

in which the complex amplitude coefficients are given by

Z Tp
1
Pn = p(t) exp(−iω n t) dt n = 0, ±1, ±2, · · · (4-9)
Tp 0
It should be noted that for each positive value of n in Eq. (4-8), say n = +m, there is
a corresponding n = −m. From the form of Eq. (4-9) it is seen that Pm and P−m are
complex conjugate pairs which is a necessary condition for the imaginary parts in the
corresponding terms of Eq. (4-8) to cancel each other.
Equation (4-8) may be evaluated numerically by the trapezoidal rule in a
manner equivalent to that described above, i.e., by defining the function q(t) ≡
p(t) exp(−iω
 n t) at discrete
 values of t = tm = m△t, making the substitutions
ω n = 2πn Tp = 2πn N △t and tm = m△t, and assuming that q0 = qN = 0,
leading finally to
N −1
. 1 X 2π n m

Pn = p(tm ) exp − i n = 0, 1, 2, · · · , (N − 1) (4-10)
N m=1 N

4-2 RESPONSE TO THE FOURIER SERIES LOADING

Having expressed the periodic loading as a series of harmonic terms, the response
of a linear system to this loading may be obtained by simply adding up the responses
to the individual harmonic loadings. In Chapter 3 [Eq. (3-10)], it was shown that the
steady-state response produced in an undamped SDOF system by the nth sine-wave
harmonic of Eq. (4-1) (after omitting the transient response term) is given by
 
bn 1
vn (t) = sin ω n t (4-11)
k 1 − βn2
where 
βn ≡ ω n ω (4-12)
Similarly, the steady-state response produced by the nth cosine-wave harmonic in
Eq. (4-1) is  
an 1
vn (t) = cos ω n t (4-13)
k 1 − βn2
Finally, the steady-state response to the constant load a0 is the static deflection

v0 = a 0 k (4-14)

The total periodic response of the undamped structure then can be expressed as the
sum of the individual responses to the loading terms in Eq. (4-1) as follows:
( ∞   )
1 X 1

v(t) = a0 + an cos ω n t + bn sin ω n t (4-15)
k n=1
1 − βn2
68 DYNAMICS OF STRUCTURES

where the load-amplitude coefficients are given by Eqs. (4-3) or Eqs. (4-6).
To take account of viscous damping in evaluating the steady-state response of a
SDOF system to periodic loading, it is necessary to substitute the damped-harmonic-
response expressions of the form of Eq. (3-20) for the undamped expressions used
above. In this case the total steady-state response is given by
∞  
1 X 1
v(t) = a0 +
k n=1
(1 − βn ) + (2ξβn )2
2 2
n
2 ξ an βn + bn (1 − βn )2 sin ω n t

×
!
o
2
 
+ an (1 − βn ) − 2 ξ bn βn cos ω n t (4-16)

Example E4-1. As an example of the response analysis of a periodically

loaded structure, consider the system and loading shown in Fig. E4-1. The
loading in this case consists of the positive portion of a simple sine function.
The Fourier coefficients of Eq. (4-1) are found by using Eqs. (4-2) and (4-3) to
obtain
Z Tp /2
1 2πt p
a0 = p0 sin dt = 0
Tp 0 Tp π
Tp /2 
0 n odd
2 2πt 2πnt
Z
an = p0 sin cos dt = p
0
 2
 (a)
Tp 0 Tp Tp π 1−n2 n even
Tp /2 p
2 2πt 2πnt
Z
0 n=1
bn = p0 sin sin dt = 2
Tp 0 Tp Tp 0 n>1
Substituting these coefficients into Eq. (4-15) leads to the following series ex-
pression for the periodic loading:
p  π 2 2 2 
p(t) = 0 1 + sin ω 1 t − cos 2 ω 1 t − cos 4 ω 1 t − cos 6 ω 1 t + · · ·
π 2 3 15 35
p(t)
(b)
p0 sin 2π
t
Tp

v p0
c
t
m p(t)
Tp Tp Tp Tp
k    
2 2 2 2

(a) (b)

FIGURE E4-1
Example analysis of response to periodic loading: (a) SDOF system; (b) periodic loading.
 RESPONSE TO PERIODIC LOADING 69

in which ω 1 = 2π Tp .
If it is now assumed that the structure of Fig. E4-1 is undamped, and if,
for example, the period of loading is taken as four-thirds the period of vibration
of the structure, i.e.,

Tp ω 4 n ω1 3
= = βn = = n (c)
T ω1 3 ω 4

the steady-state response given by Eq. (4-15) becomes

p0  8π 8 1 
v(t) = 1+ sin ω 1 t + cos 2 ω 1 t + cos 4 ω 1 t + · · · (d)
kπ 7 15 60
If the structure were damped, the analysis would proceed similarly, using Eq. (4-
16) instead of Eq. (4-15).

If the periodic loading is expressed in terms of individual harmonics of the

exponential form of Eq. (4-8), the nth harmonic steady-state response of the viscously
damped SDOF system will be

vn (t) = Hn Pn exp(iω n t) (4-17)

where the complex loading coefficient Pn is given by Eq. (4-9) [or Eq. (4-10)] and
where the complex frequency response coefficient Hn is given by Eq. (3-27) after
dividing by the harmonic load amplitude, i.e.,

 
1 1
Hn =
k (1 − βn2 ) + i (2ξβn )
1 (1 − βn2 ) − i (2ξβn )
 
= (4-18)
k (1 − βn2 )2 + (2ξβn )2

Using the principle of superposition again, the total steady-state response of the SDOF
system to the periodic loading of Eq. (4-8) is
∞
X
v(t) = Hn Pn exp(iω n t) (4-19)
n=−∞

Total response obtained by this equation will, of course, be the same as the total
response obtained through Eq. (4-16).

4-3 PREVIEW OF FREQUENCY-DOMAIN ANALYSIS

It is useful at this time to point out that the above-described response analysis
procedure for a SDOF system subjected to periodic loading contains all the essential
elements of the “frequency-domain” method of analysis. That method is discussed
70 DYNAMICS OF STRUCTURES

extensively in Chapter 6, but its general concepts are evident in the preceding descrip-
tion. The first stage of the process, in which the Fourier coefficients of the periodic
loading are evaluated, may be looked upon as the conversion of the applied loading
expression from the time-domain to the frequency-domain form. In other words,
the values pm = p(tm ) which express the applied load at a sequence of times, tm ,
are replaced by the complex values Pn = P(iω n ) which express the harmonic load
amplitudes at a specified sequence of frequencies, ω n . These values constitute the
frequency-domain expression of the loading.
In the second stage of the analysis, the SDOF response for any given frequency
is characterized by the complex frequency response coefficient, Hn , which expresses
the harmonic response amplitude due to a unit harmonic loading at the frequency ω n .
When this response coefficient is multiplied by the complex Fourier series coefficient
Pn that expresses the harmonic input amplitude at that frequency, the result is the
complex response amplitude, Vn , for that frequency. Thus the complete set of values
Vn for all considered frequencies, ω n , constitute the frequency-domain expression of
system response.
In the final stage of the analysis, the frequency-domain response is converted
back to the time domain by superposing the response components determined for
all of the frequencies included in the Fourier series loading expression. In this
superposition operation, it is necessary to evaluate all of the response harmonics at the
same instants of time, tm , recognizing the relative phase relationships associated with
each frequency. When these response harmonics are added together, the final result is
the time-domain expression of the response history, vm = v(tm ). As is explained in
Chapter 6, the analysis task is made computationally feasible by a special computer
technique known as the “Fast Fourier Transform” (FFT); but this brief description
gives the essence of the frequency-domain procedure.

Example E4-2. Consider the periodic loading shown in Fig. E4-2. The
corresponding Fourier coefficients Pn to be used in the SDOF response expres-
sion are
Z Tp /2
p0  2πn 
Pn = exp −i t dt
Tp 0 Tp

p(t)

p0

FIGURE E4-2
t
0 Tp Tp 3 2Tp 5 Rectangular-pulse-type periodic
 Tp  Tp
 2 2 loading.
2
 RESPONSE TO PERIODIC LOADING 71

or

p0  Tp    2πn   p0/2
Tp /2  n=0
Pn = exp −i t = 0 n odd
Tp i 2π n Tp 0
 
 −p0 i π n n even
Making use of these coefficients and the values of Hn directly from Eq. (4-
18), the total response of Eq. (4-19) is obtained.

PROBLEMS
4-1. Express the periodic loading shown in Fig. P4-1 as a Fourier series. Thus,
determine the coefficients an and bn by means of Eqs. (4-3) for the periodic
loading given by
3π
p(t) = p0 sin t (0 < t < 2π)
Tp
p(t) = 0 (2π < t < 3π)
Then write the loading in the series form of Eq. (4-1).
p(t)
p(t) = p0 sin 3π
t
Tp

p0

Tp Tp Tp
  
3 3 3

FIGURE P4-1

4-2. Repeat Prob. 4-1 for the periodic loading shown in Fig. P4-2.
p(t)

p0

p t
0
2

Tp Tp Tp
  
2 2 2

FIGURE P4-2
72 DYNAMICS OF STRUCTURES

4-3. Solve the problem of Example E4-1, assuming that the structure is 10 percent
critically damped.
4-4. Construct an Argand diagram similar to that of Fig. 3-6, showing to scale the
applied load vector and the steady-state inertia, damping, and elastic resisting-
force vectors. Assume the structure has 15 percent critical damping and is
subjected to the harmonic loading term p(t) = p0 exp[iωt], where ω = (6/5)ω
(i.e., β = 6/5). Construct the diagram for the time when ωt = π/4.
4-5. The periodic loading of Fig. P4-3 can be expressed by the sine series
∞
X
p(t) = bn sin ω n t
n=1
where
2p0
bn = − (−1)n
nπ
Plot the steady-state response of the structure of Fig. E4-1a to this loading for
one full period, considering only the first four terms of the series and evaluating
at time increments given by ω 1 △t = 30◦ .
p(t)

p0
t
p0

Tp Tp Tp Tp
   
2 2 2 2

FIGURE P4-3