Frequency Analysis

Every structure has the tendency to vibrate at certain frequencies, called natural or resonant frequencies.
Each natural frequency is associated with a certain shape, called mode shape, that the model tends to
assume when vibrating at that frequency.

When a structure is properly excited by a dynamic load with a frequency that coincides with one of its
natural frequencies, the structure undergoes large displacements and stresses. This phenomenon is
known as resonance. For undamped systems, resonance theoretically causes infinite motion. Damping,
however, puts a limit on the response of the structures due to resonant loads.

If your design is subjected to dynamic environments, static studies cannot be used to evaluate the
response. Frequency studies can help you avoid resonance and design vibration isolation systems. They
also form the basis for evaluating the response of linear dynamic systems where the response of a system
to a dynamic environment is assumed to be equal to the summation of the contributions of the modes
considered in the analysis.
Resonance is desirable in the design of some devices.

A real model has an infinite number of natural frequencies. However, a finite element model has a finite
number of natural frequencies that is equal to the number of degrees of freedom considered in the model.
Only the first few modes are needed for most purposes.

The natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes depend on the geometry, material properties,
and support conditions. The computation of natural frequencies and mode shapes is known as modal,
frequency, and normal mode analysis.

Video: Sample Mode Shapes (animation of the first few modes of a rectangular plate simply supported
along its two short edges).

Effect of Loads on Frequency Analysis

When building the geometry of a model, you usually create it based on the original (undeformed) shape of
the model. Some loads, like the structure’s own weight, are always present and can cause considerable
effects on the shape of the structure and its modal properties. In many cases, this effect can be ignored
because the induced deflections are small.

Loads affect the modal characteristics of a body. In general, compressive loads decrease resonant
frequencies and tensile loads increase them. This fact is easily demonstrated by changing the tension on a
violin string. The higher the tension, the higher the frequency (tone).

You do not need to define any loads for a frequency study but if you do their effect will be considered.
To include the effect of loading on the resonant frequencies, you must use the Direct Sparse
solver. If your Solver option is set to Automatic, the Direct Sparse solver will be used if
loads are defined for a frequency study.

Dynamic Loads
Use linear dynamic studies to compute the response due to dynamic loads and base excitations.

The effect of loads on frequencies and mode shapes is not considered when using linear dynamic studies,
as their calculation is based on a stress-free model state. It is recommended to define a Nonlinear
Dynamic study instead to account for any possible stress-stiffening or stress-softening effects that can
alter the modal characteristics of the model.
Performing Frequency Analysis

To perform frequency analysis:

1. Create a frequency study. Right-click the top icon in the Simulation study tree and select Properties.
Define the Properties of the study to set the number of frequencies.

The program calculates the lowest five modes by default. If the program detects rigid body modes, it
lists them first. In this case, you need to increase the number of modes to let the program calculate
the non-rigid body modes.

2. Define material for each solid, shell, and beam. To define a material for a solid, shell, or beam, right-
click its icon in the Simulation study tree and select Apply/Edit Material.

Note that density is a required material property.

3. Define appropriate restraints, if applicable.

Both the FFEPlus and Direct Sparse solvers detect rigid body modes automatically for unrestrained
or not adequately supported models. Rigid body modes, if detected, are counted among the
requested number of modes.

For example, if you are interested in the first five elastic modes for an unsupported solid model, you
need to set the required modes to 11: six for the rigid body modes and five for the elastic modes.
If you use the Direct Sparse solver, you must apply adequate restraints to stabilize your model, or
activate the Use soft spring to stabilize model option. However, note that improper application of
restraints can over-stiffen the model, and adversely affect the elastic modes.

In cases where the frequency analysis cannot run due to singularity of the stiffness matrix, use the
frequency shift option to overcome the singularity issue. Increase the shift value gradually from zero
until the Direct Sparse solver successfully calculates the requested frequencies.

If you set a higher value for the frequency shift, the Direct Sparse solver selectively calculates the
requested number of frequencies, which are clustered around the shift value. Thus, you can avoid
the computation of lower range frequencies (including the rigid body modes), which are of no interest
to your analysis, and save computational time.

4. Define loads if desired.

Loads are not required but are used if defined. The Direct Sparse solver is required to solve
frequency problems with defined loads. Note that you can define thermal and fluid loading by right-
clicking the study icon, selecting Properties, and clicking the Flow/Thermal Effects tab.
For assemblies and multibody parts make sure to define the proper contact settings. Contact
conditions other than free and bonded are not allowed in frequency studies.

5. Mesh the model and run the study.

Before running the study, you can use the Result Options to request generating plots for all mode
shapes automatically.
If you run a study before meshing it, the program meshes the study automatically before running it.
You can also request to run the study by checking Run analysis after meshing in the Mesh
PropertyManager.
 6. View the results:

 Double-click an icon in a Results folder to display the associated plot.

 Right-click the Results folder and select List Resonant Frequencies to list the requested
number of resonant frequencies in addition to any rigid body modes.
 Right-click the Results folder and select List Mass Participation to list the mass participation
of the calculated modes.
 To define a mode shape, right-click the Results folder and select Define Mode
Shape/Amplitude Plot.
 To animate an active plot, right-click its icon or right-click in the graphics area and select
Animate.
 To generate a report, right-click the Report folder and select Define.

Click here for more result viewing options.

When you run a study that does not have any result folders, the software creates the folders and
plots specified in the result options for the study type. If result folders are present, the software
updates the existing plots.

Thermal and Fluid Effects for

Frequency Studies

Fluid pressure and temperatures can induce displacements, strains, and stresses that affect the modal
characteristics of the model. The software considers thermal and fluid pressure effects for frequency
studies.

For thermal effects, you can specify a uniform temperature rise, assign different temperatures to different
regions in the model, or import a temperature profile from a thermal study.
PARENT TOPIC
Frequency Analysis

Related concepts
Rigid Body Modes
Required Input for Frequency Analysis
Output of Frequency Analysis
Related tasks
Performing Frequency Analysis

Including Thermal Effects

To include thermal effects for a frequency study:

1. In the Simulation study tree, right-click the frequency study icon and select Properties.

2. In the dialog box, click the Flow/Thermal Effects tab.

3. Under Thermal options, select one of the following options:

 Option Description

Input Uses the prescribed temperatures defined in the Load/Restraint

temperature folder of the study to calculate their effects on the buckling of the
model.

Temperatures Uses a temperature profile resulting from a completed thermal

from thermal study. The thermal study can be steady state or transient. If you
study check this option, you need to specify the Thermal study. And if
you select a transient study, you need to specify the Time step.

Temperature Reads the temperature profile resulting from a completed Flow

from Flow Simulation on the same configuration from a file. Browse to
Simulation select the FloWorks Result Files (*.fld).

4. Set Reference temperature at zero strain.

5. Click OK.

When you run the study, thermal effects will be considered.

Including Fluid Pressure Effects

To include fluid pressure effects for a frequency study:
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation is needed to generate the data. Once the file containing the
data becomes available, SOLIDWORKS Simulation can read the data to consider the fluid
pressure.

1. Use SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation to export fluid pressure data.

2. In the Simulation study tree, right-click the frequency study icon and select Properties.

3. In the dialog box, click the Flow/Thermal Effects tab.

4. Under Fluid pressure options, select Include fluid pressure effects from SOLIDWORKS
Flow Simulation and browse to select a file with extension fld generated by SOLIDWORKS
Flow Simulation.

5. Click OK.

When you run the study, flow effects will be considered.

Rigid Body Modes

When a body is not adequately supported, it can translate or rotate as a whole without deformation. A
body without any restraints has six rigid body modes; 3 translations and 3 rotations. The software finds
rigid body modes in addition to the requested number of flexible modes. The frequency of a rigid body
mode is zero which means an infinity period.

Video: Sample Rigid Body Modes

You must restrain the model properly for linear dynamic studies.
In cases of bonding contact between sheet metal parts with other surfaces (solids or shells),
the bonding algorithm can enforce over-stiffening due to the gap between the mid-surface
mesh and the contact surface geometry. The over-stiffening of the bonding contact alters the
calculation of the rigid body modes. The program will calculate all rigid modes (with
frequency values close to 0), if you eliminate the gap by offsetting the mesh of the sheet
metal parts from the mid-surfaces to the contact surface geometry.

Required Input for Frequency

Analysis

To perform frequency analysis, you need the following:

Meshed The model must be meshed before running the analysis. The Node-to-Node
model and Surface contact conditions are not supported.

Material Note that density is a required material property.

properties

Modes to be The options depend on the selected solver:

extracted
For the Direct Sparse solver, you must specify the Number of frequencies to be
calculated. You can optionally specify a frequency of interest in Calculate
frequencies closest to. The solver calculates the specified number of frequencies
closest to the specified frequency. If no value is specified, the solver calculates
the lowest frequencies.
For the FFEPlus solver, you can specify the Number of frequencies or the
highest frequency desired. The FFEPlus solver adds rigid body modes (modes
with zero frequency) automatically. For example, if you ask for 5 modes of an
unsupported model, FFEPlus extracts 6 rigid body modes and 5 flexible modes.

Restraints and loads are optional.

If you use the Direct Sparse solver, you must apply adequate restraints or activate the Use
soft spring to stabilize the model option to stabilize the model. If you use the Automatic
solver option and no restraints are defined, the program uses the FFEPlus solver.

Output of Frequency Analysis

After running a frequency study successfully, you can:
Plot the resonant mode shapes. You can plot the mode amplitude in a selected direction (X-,
Y-, or Z- ) or the resultant amplitude. Right-click Results and click Mode
Shape/Amplitude Plot.

The mode shape amplitude plots illustrate the profile of the mode only (i.e., the displacement of
nodes relative to each other). The displacement values are calculated based on various
normalization procedures. The software normalizes each mode shape such that {φI}T [M] {φI} is
equal to [I]. Where {φI} is the vector representing the Ith mode shape, {φI}T is its transpose, [M] is
the mass matrix, and [I] is the unit matrix.

List the resonant frequencies and mass participation factors. Right-click Results and click
List Resonant Frequencies or List Mass Participation.
Create graphs of the resonant frequencies versus the mass participation factors. Right-click
Results and click Define Frequency Response Graph.
Frequency Analysis Graph
PropertyManager

The Frequency Analysis Graph PropertyManager allows you to create plots of frequencies versus effective
mass participation factors and cumulative effective mass participation factors.

To open this PropertyManager, run a frequency or linear dynamic study. Right-click Results
and select Define Frequency Response Graph.

Frequency vs.

Mode Number Creates a line graph of resonant

frequencies versus mode numbers.
Lists the results under Summary.

Effective mass participation Creates a bar graph that shows the

factor (EMPF) effective mass participation factors
(EMPF) for the global X, Y, and Z
directions for each mode. Lists the
results under Summary.
The effective mass participation
factor represents the percentage of
the system mass that participates
in a particular mode. It provides a
measure of the energy contained
within each resonant mode. A mode
with a large EMPF is usually a
significant contributor to the
dynamic response of a system.

Cumulative effective mass Creates a line graph that shows the

participation factor (CEMPF) cumulative effective mass
participation factors for the global
X, Y, and Z directions. Lists the
results under Summary.
Mass participation factors are
important in determining how many
modes should be considered to
capture adequately the dynamic
response of a structure. Many codes
require that the number of modes
considered must contribute to a
CEMPF of at least 80% of the
system mass in the direction of
excitation.

Summary
Show Frequencies (Hz) Shows the frequency range where the effective mass
where the EMPF is participation factor (for the selected global coordinate
greater than: direction) is greater than the % value you enter.

Show Frequencies (Hz) Shows the frequency range (min - max) where the
where the CEMPF is cumulative effective mass participation factor (for the
greater than:
 selected global coordinate direction) is greater than the %
value you enter.

XYZ Select the global coordinate direction considered for the

EMPF and CEMPF.

Report Options

Save Saves the results to a comma delimited *.csv file. Use a text editor or Microsoft
Excel to view this file.