Dynamic characteristics of non-classically damped structures

The equations of motion of a structure in undamped modal coordinates may have non-zero off-diagonal terms in the damping matrix. Although these terms are commonly neglected, studies have shown that they may have a significant influence on the response to dynamic loads. In this paper, two independent criteria are developed to determine when these damping terms will affect the structure's modal properties and response. It is found that even small off-diagonal damping values can be significant if the structure has closely spaced natural frequencies. To quantify and understand the influence of these damping terms, closed-form analytical expressions are derived for the modal properties and harmonic and stochastic response of structures with closely spaced natural frequencies. One conclusion is that off-diagonal damping terms will decrease a modal damping ratio for each pair of closely spaced modes. This is significant, since a response analysis performed by neglecting these off-diagonal terms will underestimate the true response.     

基于复模态的有限元模型修正算法

针对地下结构地震响应分析中无限地基辐射阻尼问题，引入复模态情况下的具有非简化的堆积阻尼矩阵的阻尼模型，并针对具有集中质量阵的阻尼模型提出了合并与质量有关的阻尼和堆积阻尼的思想，并据此提出了一种修正此类有限元模型的两步法，首先从复模态参数中提取实模态参数，采用基于模态残余力的识别算法修正刚度矩阵，然后根据复模态参数和已得的刚度矩阵来识别阻尼模型中的刚度参与系数和质量阻尼堆积阻尼联合矩阵。     

Ambient vibration measurements on a cable-stayed bridge

An extensive programme of full-scale ambient vibration tests has been conducted to measure the dynamic response of a 542 m (centre span of 274 m) cable-stayed bridge—the Quincy Bayview Bridge in Illinois. A microcomputer-based system was used to collect and analyse the ambient vibration data. A total of 25 modal frequencies and associated mode shapes were identified for the deck structure within the frequency range of 0–2 Hz. Also, estimations were made for damping ratios. The experimental data clearly indicated the occurrence of many closely spaced modal frequencies and spatially complicated mode shapes. Most tower modes were found to be associated with the deck modes, implying a considerable interaction between the deck and tower structure. No detectable levels of motion were evident at the foundation support of the pier. The results of the ambient vibration survey were compared to modal frequencies and mode shapes computed using a three-dimensional finite element model of the bridge. For most modes, the analytic and experimental modal frequencies and mode shapes compare quite well, especially for the vertical modes. Based on the findings of this study, a linear elastic finite element model appears to be capable of capturing much of the complex dynamic behaviour of the bridge with very good accuracy, when compared to the low-level dynamic responses induced by ambient wind and traffic excitations.     

Modal decomposition method for stationary response of non-classically damped systems

The stationary response of multi-degree-of-freedom non-classically damped linear systems subjected to stationary input excitation is studied. A modal decomposition procedure based on the complex eigenvectors and eigenvalues of the system is used to derive general expressions for the spectral moments of response. These expressions are in terms of cross-modal spectral moments and explicitly account for the correlation between modal responses; thus, they are applicable to structures characterized with significant non-classical damping as well as structures with closely spaced frequencies. Closed form solutions are presented for the important case of response to white-noise input. Various quantities of response of general engineering interest can be obtained in terms of these spectral moments. These include mean zero-crossing rate and mean, variance and distribution of peak response over a specified duration. Examples point out several instances where non-classical damping effects become significant and illustrate the marked improvement of the results of this study over conventional analysis based on classical damping approximations.     

A response spectrum method for random vibration analysis of mdf systems

A response spectrum method for stationary random vibration analysis of linear, multi-degree-of-freedom systems is developed. The method is based on the assumption that the input excitation is a wide-band, stationary Gaussian process and the response is stationary. However, it can also be used as a good approximation for the response to a transient stationary Gaussian input with a duration several times longer than the fundamental period of the system. Various response quantities, including the mean-squares of the response and its time derivative, the response mean frequency, and the cumulative distribution and the mean and variance of the peak response are obtained in terms of the ordinates of the mean response spectrum of the input excitation and the modal properties of the system. The formulation includes the cross-correlation between modal responses, which is shown to be significant for modes with closely spaced natural frequencies. The proposed procedure is demonstrated for an example structure that is subjected to an ensemble of earthquake-induced base excitations. Computed results based on the response spectrum method are in close agreement with simulation results obtained from time-history dynamic analysis. The significance of closely spaced modes and the error associated with a conventional method that neglects the modal correlations are also demonstrated.     

Hilbert-Huang变换在密频结构阻尼识别中的应用

Hilbert—Huang变换是一种新的数据处理方法，由经验模分解(Empirical Mode Decomposition)技术及Hilbert变换两部分组成。本文研究此方法对于密频结构阻尼识别的应用。首先对于两自由度系统模型，说明该方法用于阻尼识别的步骤。进而研究存在频率密集现象的高层建筑的阻尼识别问题。上述结果与理论值及由半功率带宽法的识别值进行了比较，对比显示Hilbert．Huang方法较传统方法具有良好的识别密频结构阻尼的性能，适用于大型结构的系统识别。     

Conservatism in summation rules for closely spaced modes

It is shown that the method recommended by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to be used to combine spectral response in the case of closely spaced modes is unnecessarily conservative for certain systems. Closely spaced modes arise in structures from symmetry and where there is a light appendage with a frequency close to one of the natural frequencies of the structure. In the former case, the closely spaced modes do not involve significant interaction between components of the system and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Guide is reasonable. The latter case, that is when there are closely spaced modes where interaction of components occurs as in the examples of light appendages and torsionally unbalanced buildings, must be treated by consideration of the interacting components. The approach proposed here is that the modes that are not closely spaced be treated by modal analysis and the closely spaced modes, in the case of two closely spaced modes, be treated as a coupled two-degree-of-freedom system. If this is done, the beat phenomenon, the most important characteristic of the interaction, is evident, as is the associated result that the peak response of the coupled system is developed much later than the peak responses obtained in the individual modes. It is shown that the square root of the sum of the squares procedure underestimates, as expected, the response for undamped and very lightly damped systems, but for damped systems the square root of the sum of the squares method can be extremely conservative. It follows that the other methods specified by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for closely spaced modes must be even more conservative.     

The complete SRSS modal combination rule

The complete Square‐Root‐of‐Sum‐of‐Squares (c‐SRSS) modal combination rule is presented. It expresses the structural response in terms of uncoupled SDOF modal responses, yet accounting fully for modal response variances and cross‐covariances. Thus, it is an improvement over the classical SRSS rule which neglects contributions from modal cross‐covariances. In the c‐SRSS rule the spectral moments of the structural response are expressed rigorously in terms of the spectral moments of uncoupled modal responses and of some coefficients that can be computed straightforwardly as a function of modal frequencies and damping, without involving the computation of cross‐correlation coefficients between modal responses. An example shows an application of the c‐SRSS rule for structural systems with well separated and closely spaced modal frequencies, subjected to wide‐band and narrow‐band excitations. Comparisons with response calculations using the SRSS and the Complete Quadratic Combination rules are given and discussed in detail. Based on the c‐SRSS rule a response spectrum formulation is introduced to estimate the maximum structural response. An example considering a narrow‐band excitation from the great Mexico earthquake of September 19, 1985, is given and the accuracy of the response spectrum formulation is examined. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

System identification of linear structures based on Hilbert–Huang spectral analysis. Part 1: normal modes

Based on the Hilbert–Huang spectral analysis, a method is proposed to identify multi‐degree‐of‐freedom (MDOF) linear systems using measured free vibration time histories. For MDOF systems, the normal modes have been assumed to exist. In this method, the measured response data, which are polluted by noises, are first decomposed into modal responses using the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) approach with intermittency criteria. Then, the Hilbert transform is applied to each modal response to obtain the instantaneous amplitude and phase angle time histories. A linear least‐square fit procedure is proposed to identify the natural frequency and damping ratio from the instantaneous amplitude and phase angle for each modal response. Based on a single measurement of the free vibration time history at one appropriate location, natural frequencies and damping ratios can be identified. When the responses at all degrees of freedom are measured, the mode shapes and the physical mass, damping and stiffness matrices of the structure can be determined. The applications of the proposed method are illustrated using three linear systems with different dynamic characteristics. Numerical simulation results demonstrate that the proposed system identification method yields quite accurate results, and it offers a new and effective tool for the system identification of linear structures in which normal modes exist. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tuned mass dampers for structures with closely spaced natural frequencies

Analytical results are developed for vibration control of structures with one or more Tuned Mass Dampers (TMDs). The input is a harmonic load with a range of possible frequencies. The control objective is to reduce the maximum amplitude of the structural response. Perturbation theory is used with three sets of small parameters: the ratio of TMD and structural modal masses, the damping of the system, and the differences between the structural and loading frequencies. It is shown analytically that for structures with widely spaced natural frequencies, the response can be approximated accurately by the response of the well-known single-mode structure/TMD system. For structures with p closely spaced natural frequencies, more general analytical results are developed to describe the coupling between the motions of the p modes of the structure and the multiple TMDs. The results show that at least p TMDs with properly placed attachments to the structure are necessary to control the response. If fewer TMDs are used, the maximum frequency response has a lower bound which is independent of the properties of the TMDs. The TMD placement is shown to be always important, regardless of the spacing of the structure's natural frequencies. The results are illustrated for both lumped-mass and continuous structures.     

规则型隔震房屋的自振特性和地震反应分析方法

文中根据规则型隔震房屋的刚度、质量和阻尼分布的特点，改进了阻尼比的简化计算表达式。此外还归纳给出了自振周期、振型和地震反应计算公式。文中还将我们提出的隔震结构振型阻尼比公式与Kelly的相应公式进行了数值比较，两式的复杂程度虽几无差异，但文中的公式更为精确。文中提出的简化计算公式可以方便地在一般房屋结构隔震方案设计和地震反应的振型叠加分析中应用。     

Modal identification of a centrifuge soil model using subspace state space method

In this paper, modal parameters of a layered soil system comprising of a soft clay layer overlying a dense sand layer are identified from accelerometer recordings in a centrifuge test. For the first time, the subspace state space system identification (4SID) method was employed to identify the natural frequencies, damping ratios, and complex valued mode shapes while considering the non-proportional damping in a soil system. A brief review of system identification concepts needed for application of the 4SID techniques to structural modal identification is provided in the paper. The identified natural frequencies were validated against those estimated by transfer function spectra. The computed normal mode shapes were compared with closed-form solutions obtained from the one-dimensional shear wave propagation equation. The identified modal parameters were then employed to synthesize state space prediction models which were subsequently used to simulate the soil response to three successive base motions. The identified models captured acceleration time-histories and corresponding Fourier spectra reasonably well in the small and moderate shaking events. In the stronger third shaking event, the model performed well at greater soil depths, but was less accurate near the surface where nonlinearities dominated.     

MODAL ANALYSIS OF SOFT-SOIL SITES INCLUDING RADIATION DAMPING

For the one-dimensional analysis of soft-soil layers on an elastic half-space, a general form of analytical solution is developed for converting radiation damping due to energy leaking back to the half-space into equivalent modal damping, allowing the modal analysis technique to be extended to a site where radiation damping has to be accounted for. Closed-form solutions for equivalent modal damping ratios and effective modal participation factors are developed for a single layer with a shear wave velocity distribution varying from constant to linearly increasing with depth. Compact and recursive forms of solutions for equivalent modal damping ratios are developed for a system with an arbitrary number of homogeneous layers on an elastic half-space. Comparisons with numerical solutions show that the modal solutions are accurate. The nominal frequency of a site, i.e. the inverse of four times the total shear wave travel time through the layers, is an important parameter for estimating the high mode frequencies. A parameter study shows that for the same impedance ratio of the bottom layer to the elastic half-space, a system of soil layers with an increasing soil rigidity with depth has, in general, larger peak modal amplifications at the ground surface than does a single homogeneous layer on an elastic half-space, while a system with a decreasing soil rigidity with depth has smaller modal peak amplifications. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Some methods for the analysis of equipment-structure interaction

We present some numerical methods which simplify the analysis of equipment-structure systems composed of an equipment component which is light with respect to the structure component. We consider completely general forms of equipment-structure interaction. In particular, we consider that an arbitrary number of natural frequencies of the equipment and the structure are nearly equal (or equal) to each other. We show that this coincidence of natural frequencies implies that the equipment-structure system will itself have several closely spaced natural frequencies. The essence of equipment-structure interaction is the formation of beats, with slowly varying amplitude in each degree of freedom, between these natural frequencies-at least in response to a δ-function ground motion. We derive some differential equations, the solutions of which are a slowly varying envelope function (a vector) which yields the above slowly varying amplitudes. It is obtained by numerical integration using some conventional, but modified, methods and using a step size appropriate to capture its slowly varying nature. This envelope function defines the response to a δ-function ground motion. We show how it may be combined with the properties of an arbitrary ground motion (acceleration record or response spectrum) to yield the response to such a ground motion.     

采用双向调谐质量阻尼器的大跨度桥梁风振控制仿真分析

传统的调谐质量阻尼器（TMD）设计均仅针对结构某一阶模态单独设置,当用于密频结构减振时会导致附加质量过多。为减小TMD的附加质量,结合大跨度斜拉桥结构的密频与风致耦合振动特点,提出了一种新型的双向共享质量与电涡流阻尼式TMD。具体实现方式是：水平、竖向TMD的刚度构件分别采用悬臂梁与压簧,将水平向TMD整体置于压簧上面,从而构成竖向TMD的质量;导体板固定不动,使安装在TMD质量块的永磁体阵列随质量块竖向或水平方向运动,从而分别产生竖向与水平向的电磁涡流阻尼。研究结果表明：（1）电涡流阻尼可以很好地实现双向TMD装置的共享阻尼,且电涡流阻尼的大小可以很方便地调节;（2）采用双向TMD进行斜拉桥的风致振动控制减振效果良好,可行性强。     

An effective fixed-base model with classical normal modes for soil–structure interaction systems

To simplify the analysis of soil–structure interaction systems, various fixed-base models have recently been proposed by the author to efficiently represent the SSI system and have been shown to have good accuracy. However, the modified mass and damping matrices of these models do not hold the properties of symmetry and orthogonality. Difficulties may consequently be induced for these models in applying conventional computer codes to carry out dynamic analysis. In the present paper, this problem is further explored to establish a fixed-base model possessing classical normal modes. Formulated in the modal space, this fixed-base model is constructed through applying an iteration algorithm to incorporate the Gram–Schmidt orthogonalization process. The convergent real orthogonal mode vectors, natural frequencies, and modal damping ratios are directly determined for this model. It is demonstrated with a numerical example that this new fixed-base model retains excellent accuracy. Accordingly, the complicated SSI systems can be directly analyzed using conventional computer codes for structural dynamics with the fixed-base model developed in this study.     

Forced vibration of a tall steel-frame building

The dynamic properties of the twenty-two-story, steel-frame San Diego Gas and Electric Company Building in San Diego, California, have been determined experimentally in a series of co-operative tests between the California Institute of Technology and the University of California at Los Angeles. The building was vibrated by two eccentric mass exciters capable of frequencies up to 10 c/sec and forces as much as 5000 Ib each. The natural frequencies, associated mode shapes and the amounts of damping were determined for the first six modes of vibration in each of the two translational directions, and also in torsion. The mode shapes and frequencies showed, in general, the regularity and uniformity that appears typical of many tall buildings, but the three fundamental modes (nominally NS, EW and torsion) of the structure showed a coupling of translational and rotational components to a degree that was unexpected in a building whose structural frame is essentially symmetric. It is believed that this may be a consequence of the exceptionally small differences among the three fundamental frequencies. The damping in the first eighteen modes of the structure varied from 1.6 to 4.4 per cent, with a slight tendency for the larger values to be associated with the higher modes. Of the simpler damping models that might be used for analysis of the building, constant modal damping appears most appropriate and stiffness or mass proportional damping would not be realistic.     

Soil and structure damping from single station measurements

In seismology and seismic engineering soils and structures are modeled as oscillators characterized by modal (resonance) frequencies, shapes and damping. In 1973 Cole proposed the RandomDec technique to estimate both the damping and the fundamental mode of structures from the recorded time series at a single point, with no need for spectral analyses. Here we propose a number of modifications to the original RandomDec approach, that we group under the name DECÓ, which allow to determine the damping as a function of the frequency and therefore the damping of all the vibration modes. However, the motion of structures is so amplified at the resonance frequencies that detecting the characteristic parameters by recording ambient vibrations is relatively easy. More interesting is to apply the DECÓ approach to the soil in the attempt to estimate the mode damping from single station measurements. On soils, the resonance frequencies are normally identified as peaks in the horizontal to vertical spectral ratios of microtremors. However, at these frequencies what is observed is a local minimum in the vertical spectral component, sometimes associated to local maxima in the horizontal components, whose visibility depend on the specific amount of SH and Love waves at the site. The determination of soil damping is therefore a much less trivial task on soils than on structures. By using microtremor and earthquake recordings we estimate the soil damping as a function of shear strain and observe that this is one order of magnitude larger than what is measured in the laboratory on small scale samples, at least at low-intermediate strain levels. This has severe consequences on the numerical seismic site response analyses and on soil dynamic modeling.     

On a modal damping identification model for non-classically damped linear building structures subjected to earthquakes

A simple modal damping identification model developed by the present authors for classically damped linear building frames is extended here to the non-classically damped case. The modal damping values are obtained with the aid of the frequency domain modulus of the roof-to-basement transfer function and the resonant frequencies of the structure (peaks of the transfer function) as well as the modal participation factors and mode shapes of the undamped structure. The assumption is made that the modulus of the transfer function of the non-classically damped structure matches the one of the classically damped structure in a discrete manner, i.e., at the resonant frequencies of that function modulus. This proposed approximate identification method is applied to a number of plane building frames with and without pronounced non-classical damping under different with respect to their frequency content earthquakes and its limitations and range of applicability are assessed with respect to the accuracy of both the identified damping ratios and that of the seismic structural response obtained by classical mode superposition and use of those identified modal damping ratios.     

Simplifications of CQC method and CCQC method

The response-spectrum mode superposition method is widely used for seismic response analyses of linear systems. In using this method, the complete quadratic combination （CQC） is adopted for classically damped linear systems and the complex complete quadratic combination （CCQC） formula is adopted for non-classically damped linear systems. However, in both cases, the calculation of seismic response analyses is very time consuming. In this paper, the variation of the modal correlation coefficients of displacement, velocity and displacement-velocity with frequency and damping ratios of two modes of interest are studied, Moreover, the calculation errors generated by using CQC and square-root-of-the-sum-of-thesquares （SRSS） methods （or CCQC and CSRSS methods） for different damping combinations are compared. In these analyses, some boundary lines for classically and non-classically damped systems are plotted to distinguish the allowed minimum frequency ratio at given geometric mean of the damping ratios of both modes if their relativity is neglected. Furthermore, the simplified method, which is a special mode quadratic combination method considering only relativity of adjacent modes in CQC method and named simplified CQC or partial quadratic combination （PQC） method for classically damped linear system, is proposed to improve computational efficiency, and the criterion for determination of how many correlated modes should be adopted is proposed. Similarly, the simplified CCQC or complex partial quadratic combination （CPQC） method for the non-classically damped linear system and the corresponding criterion are also deduced. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the applicability, computational accuracy and efficiency of the PQC and CPQC methods.