Dynamics of Elastic Systems

Structural dynamics is a special branch of structural analysis,

which studies the behavior of structures subjected to
dynamical loads. Such loads develop the dynami- cal
reactions, dynamical internal forces, and dynamical
displacements of a structure. They all change with time, and
maximum values often exceed static ones. Dynami- cal
analysis of structure is based on the free vibration analysis.
This chapter is devoted to linear free vibration analysis of
elastic structures with lumped and distributed parameters. The
fundamental methods of structural analysis (force and
displacement methods) are applied for calculation of
frequencies of the free vibration and corresponding mode
shape of vibration. They are inherent to the structure itself and
are called as the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions.

14.1 Fundamental Concepts

14.1.1 Kinematics of Vibrating Processes

The simplest periodic motion can be written as

y .t/ D A sin .c t C ø 0 /;
where A is the amplitude of vibration, '0 is the initial phase of
vibration, t is time. This case is presented in Fig. D 14.1a.
The initial displacement y0 A sin '0 is measured from
the static equilibrium position. The number of cycles of
oscilla- tion during 2ˇ seconds is referred to as circular
(angular or natural) frequency of
vibration Dc 2ˇ=T (radians per second or s—1), T (s) is the
period of vibration. Figure 14.1b, c presents the damped and
increased vibration with constant period.

14.1.2 Forces Which Arise at Vibrations

During vibration a structure is subjected to different forces.
These forces have a different nature and exert a different
influence on the vibrating process. All forces

I.A. Karnovsky and O. Lebed, Advanced Methods of Structural

Analysis, 513
DOI 10.1007/978-1-4419- Springer Science+Business Media,
1047-9 14, Ⓧc LLC 2010
514 14 Dynamics of
Elastic Systems

a b c
y
T T y y
T T T T

y0
t t
tA

Fig. 14.1 Types of oscillatory motions

may be divided into the following groups: disturbing forces,

positional (restoring) forces, resisting forces, and forces of the
mixed character.
1. Disturbing forces may be of the following types:
(a) Immovable periodical loads are produced by stationary
units and mechanisms with moving parts. These loads
have a periodical, but not necessary a har- monic
character and generally do not depend on the elastic
properties of the structure.
(b) Impact (impulsive) loads are produced by falling weights
or collision of bod- ies. Impulsive loads are characterized
by very short duration of their action and depend on the
elastic properties of the structure, which is subjected to
such loads.
(c) Moving loads act on the structures through wheels of a
moving train or truck. The availability of the rail joins on
the railway bridge or irregularities of the deck on the car
bridge lead to appearance of inertial forces. These
D type of
loads should be distinguished from moving one, which
has been studied in the sections “Influence lines”
because unit moving load P 1 had been considered
without dynamical effects.
(d) Seismic loads arise due to earthquakes. The reason of
the seismic load on the structure is the acceleration of
the supports caused by acceleration of the ground. This
 type of disturbance is called kinematical. The acceleration
of supports leads to the acceleration of the separate parts
of the structure, and as a result inertial forces act on
these parts. Seismic forces, which arise in the members
of the structure, depend on the type and the amount of
ground acceleration, distribution of the mass within the
members of the structure and their elastic properties.
2. Restoring forces depend on the displacement of the
structure, arise due to devi- ation of system from a static
equilibrium position,
D and tend to return the system to its
initial position. Restoring
— properties of a system are
—
described by its elas- tic characteristic P P .y/, where P is a
static force, which is applied to the structure. Characteristic
P y may be linear or nonlinear. Some types of char-
acteristics P y are presented in Table 14.1; in all cases y
is the displacement at the point of P .
3. Resisting forces. The forces of inelastic resistance (friction
or damping forces) depends on D the velocity v of motion, R
R .v/, and always act in the opposite direction of velocity.
These forces are a result of internal friction in the material of
a structure and/or in the connections of a system.
14.1 Fundamental Concepts 515

Table 14.1 Types of elastic members and their characteristics

Desi diagram Charact P-y Design Charact P
gn eristic diagram eristic -y

P P P P
y y
y y0
y
0
P P P
P
y0 y y
y0

Different types of forces acting on a structure lead to different types of vibration.

Among them are two general classes – they are free and forced vibration.
Vibrations of a system in which disturbing forces are absent are called free vi-
brations. At free vibration, the system is subjected to forces inherent to the system
itself, i.e., the restoring and resisting forces.
To impose free vibrations, nonzero initial conditions should be created, which
means some initial displacement and initial velocity. Free vibration may be linear or
nonlinear depending on the characteristics of restoring and resisting forces. Absence
of resisting forces leads to the free undamped vibrations; in this case, the system is
subjected only to a restoring force.
Vibration of a system caused by any disturbing forces is called a forced vibration.
Absence of resisting forces leads to the forced undamped vibration. Just as the free
vibration, the forced vibration may be linear and nonlinear.