Lecture 10
Principles-Dynamic Analysis
Introduction
• Modern structures are slender and have reduced redundant strength due to
improved analysis and design methods.
• Such structures are increasingly responsive to the manner in which loading is
applied with respect to time
• Dynamic behaviour of such structures must be allowed for in design; as well as
the usual static considerations.
• The word dynamic simply means “changes with time”; be it force, deflection
or any other form of load effect.
• Examples of dynamics in structures are:
• Soldiers breaking step as they cross a bridge to prevent harmonic excitation
Introduction (Cont.)
• Most basic dynamic system is the mass-
spring system.
• This is known as a Single Degree-of-
Freedom (SDOF) system
• There is only one possible displacement:
that of the mass in the vertical direction.
• SDOF systems are of great importance as
they are relatively easily analyzed
mathematically.
SDOF systems are easy to understand, and structures usually dealt with by Structural
Engineers can be modelled approximately using an SDOF model.
Other example of SDOF System is elevated water tank
An Initial Numerical Example
• Consider a spring-mass system with the properties m =10 kg and k = 100 N/m
• Give the mass a deflection of 20 mm and then release it (i.e. set it in motion)
• We observe that the system oscillating.
• The time between the masses recurrence at a particular location is called the period of
motion (T);
• The number of oscillations per second is called the frequency, denoted f, and is
measured in Hertz (cycles per second).
𝑓 = 1#𝑇
We know that: 𝑇 = 2𝜋⁄𝜔 and ω = 𝑘⁄𝑚
1 𝑘
𝑓=
2𝜋 𝑚
In this system:
1 100
𝑓= = 0.503 𝐻𝑧
2𝜋 10
And time period
1 1
𝑇= = = 1.987 𝑠𝑒𝑐.
𝑓 0.503
We can see from Figure below that this is indeed the period observed.
• To reach the deflection of 20 mm just applied, we had to apply a force of 2 N, given
that the spring stiffness is 100 N/m (𝐹 = 𝑘𝑥)
• The rate at which this load is applied will have an effect on the dynamics of the
system. Would you expect the system to behave the same in the following cases?
Ø If a 2 N weight was dropped onto the mass from a very small height?
Ø If 2 N of sand was slowly added to a weightless bucket attached to the mass?
Assuming a linear increase of load, to the full 2 N load, over periods of 1, 3, 5 and 10
seconds, the deflections of the system are shown in Fig. below.
Observations
• When the load is applied faster than the period of the system, large dynamic
effects occur.
• Periods of load application =1, 3, 5 and 10 seconds
• Stated another way, when the frequency of loading (1, 0.3, 0.2 and 0.1 Hz for our
sample loading rates) is close to, or above the natural frequency of the system
(0.5 Hz in our case), we can see that the dynamic effects are large.
• Conversely, when the frequency of loading is less than the natural frequency of
the system little dynamic effects are noticed.
Structural Damping
Looking again at the frog in Figure 1, according to the results obtained so far, the frog
should oscillate indefinitely.
If you have ever cantilevered a ruler off the edge of a desk and flicked it you would have
seen it vibrate for a time but certainly not indefinitely;
Buildings do not vibrate indefinitely after an earthquake;
Following Figure shows the undamped response of our model along with the damped
response
It can be seen that the oscillations die out quite rapidly – this depends on the level of
damping.
Structural Damping (Cont.)
• Damping occurs in structures due to energy loss mechanisms that
exist in the system.
• Examples are friction losses at any connection in the system and
Internal energy losses of the materials due to inter-granular bonds.
• The exact nature of damping is difficult to define; fortunately
theoretical damping has been shown to match real structures quite
well.
Thank you
