Structural Dynamics

Introduction
Prof Pilate Moyo, PrEng, FSAAE, FSAICE
 Overview
• This lecture covers the following:

– Basic concepts & definitions

– Elements of a dynamic system
– Degrees of freedom
– Modelling dynamic systems
– Dynamic loads in civil engineering
 Basic concepts and definitions
• The study relating the motion of physical systems to the forces causing them is referred to as
dynamics and the laws governing the motion are the well-known Newton’s laws.
• If the system under study is a structure, e.g. building, then the subject becomes structural dynamics.
• The difference between a static problem and dynamic problem is that, in the static case, internal
forces and displacements depend only upon applied loads, whereas in the dynamic problem
displacements also depend on inertial forces.

Dynamic Problem
Static Problem Internal forces and displacements depend
Internal forces and displacements the applied load F(t) and inertial forces
depend only on the applied load F. resulting from accelerations of the structure.
Solved using the principles of Note that the force F(t) is time varying.
equilibrium and compatibility
 Basic concepts and definitions
• Vibration is the oscillatory motion of a physical system about a certain equilibrium position.
• Vibration analysis is the determination of the frequencies of the oscillations, the relative positions of
the system components during motion and the amplitudes of the oscillations.
• In general dynamic analysis is the determination of a structural system’s response to a time varying
load. Structural response includes displacements, velocities, accelerations, stresses and strains
induced in the system.
 Elements of a dynamic system
• The important components of a dynamic system are its mass,m, flexibility or stiffness, k, damping, c,
and the excitation force, f(t). The mass possesses inertia and can have kinetic energy by virtue of its
motion. Stiffness enables the system to store potential energy by virtue of its deformation. Damping
is the energy dissipation process from a vibrating system through friction and similar effects. The
excitation force introduces energy into the system.
• Fig. 1.1 shows the simplest idealization of a dynamic system in which these properties are assumed
to be concentrated in a single physical element.
x
c

f(t)
m

Fig. 1.1 Idealised SDOF system

 Degrees of freedom
• The number of independent coordinates in space (i.e. the number of displacement components)
required to fully describe the motion of a vibrating structural system is termed the degrees of
freedom. Fig 1.2 and Fig. 1.3 illustrate concept of degrees of freedom.
m4
x4

k4
I3
x m3 I1 I2
x3
m
θ
k3 k1 k2 k3 k4
m2
x2
k k2 θ1 θ2 θ3
m1
x1
k1
m
(a) Idealised water tank (b) Simple pendulum (a) Four dof idealised four-storey (b) Three degree of freedom shaft
building frame disc torsional system

Fig. 1.2 Single degree of freedom systems Fig. 1.3 Multi degree of freedom systems
 Modelling of dynamic systems
• Two main approaches to physical modeling of dynamic systems exist viz;
• Distributed parameter models: Parameters vary continuously over the system.
• Discrete parameter models: Parameters are assumed to be lumped at selected locations of the
system.

Distributed parameter models

M1 M2 M3 M4 M5
Discrete parameter models
x1 x2 x3 x4 x5
 Dynamic loading in Civil Engineering
The following are the most common dynamic loads in civil engineering
• Wind loading: may lead to large amplitudes of oscillations and catastrophic instability.
e.g. Tacoma Bridge Collapse in 1940
• Earthquake loading: generally causes widespread damage, loss of life and economic loss.
e.g. National Geographic
• Traffic loading: Vehicular, railway
• Wave action: Offshore structures
• Human induced vibrations: Footfall induced vibrations resulting high vibration amplitudes.
e.g. London Millennium Bridge, German football fans
• Machine induced vibrations: Out of balance rotating machinery in buildings.

Machine and human induced vibrations usually do not lead to structural collapse, but may render structures
and machinery unusable
 Dynamic loading in Civil Engineering
• Engineers need to account for the effects of dynamic loads both in the ultimate limit state and
service limit state.
• Due to the relationship between structural parameters (m, c, k) and vibration parameters (natural
frequencies, mode shapes, damping ratios) vibration analysis is extensively used in the design of
vibration control systems, system identification, validation of finite element models and structural
assessment
 Introduction
• This course is divided into six modules as follows:
– Module 1: SDOF systems
– Module 2: Response Spectra
– Module 3: MDOF systems
– Module 4: Distributed parameter systems
– Module 5: Dynamic loads
– Module 6: Dynamic measurements
 References
• Inman, D. J., (2014), Engineering vibration, 4th Edition. Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Pp 621. ISBN 0-13-
726142-X
• Chopra, A. K., (2011), Dynamics of structures, Theory and Applications to Earthquake Engineering, 4th
Edition. Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Pp 729, ISBN 0-13-855214-2
• Clough, R.W., and Penzien, J., (2003), Dynamics of structures, 3rd Edition. McGraw-Hill, New York