App Note #4

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1/14/2002

MEscopeVES Application Note #4

Using Structural Modifications for Sub-structuring
INTRODUCTION

BUILDING THE SUB-STRUCTURES

In this note, the Visual SDM option in MEscopeVES is

used to solve a sub-structuring problem.

To build the two sub-structure models and synthesize their

mode shapes,

In brief, sub-structuring is the process of modeling the attachment of two or more structures together using FE elements. The objective is to calculate the new modes of the
combined sub-structures, starting with the modes of each
sub-structure alone.

Start a new Project by executing File | Project | New in

the MEscopeVES window.

Create a new structure file by executing File | New |

Structure.

To perform sub-structuring using the Visual SDM option,

the following is needed,

To set up the structure units, execute File | Options in

the Structure window, and click on the Units tab. Select Kilograms, Newtons, & Meters as units, and click
on OK.

1) The mode shapes of each sub-structure.

NOTE: If one sub-structure is to be mounted on the
other, then the rigid body modes of the sub-structure to be
mounted are also required.
2) A structure model containing the sub-structures, with FE
elements added between them where they are to be attached together.

2-DOF EXAMPLE
To illustrate sub-structuring, we will synthesize the modes of
two (point mass) sub-structures, using the Modify | Calculate Element Modes. Then, we will model the attachment
of the two sub-structures together with two springs connected in series. The combined sub-structures are shown in
Figure 1.

Figure 1. Two Masses Connected by Two Springs.

The Drawing Assistant will be used to create three Points in

a vertical line.

Execute Draw | Drawing Assistant to open the Drawing Assistant window.

On the Objects tab, double click on the Line object to

place it in the right view.

On the Properties tab, enter Length = 1, and Points =

3.

On the Position tab, enter Rotate Deg. = 45, select Local axis rotation, and click on the W direction (Up or
Down) button twice.

On the Appearance tab, make sure that Points & Lines

are selected.

You should have three Points connected by Lines as

shown in Figure 2. Click on OK.

Figure 2. Drawing Assistant Setup for 3 Vertical Points.

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The Structure window will now contain a SubStructure consisting of three Points connected by two Lines. To number
the Points,

Adding Point Masses

Select FE Masses from the Object list on the Toolbar.

, click near Point 1 to add the

Press the Add button
bottom mass, and then on Point 3 to add the top mass.

Draw the Vertical Blue Bar to the left to display the

Masses spreadsheet.

In the masses spreadsheet, change Label M1 to Mass 1,

and Label M2 to Mass 2.

Edit the mass of Mass 1 to 10 kg, and the mass of Mass

2 to 20 kg.

Double click on the Orientation column heading, and

change the orientation of both masses to Global Z. The
spreadsheet should look like that in Figure 4.

Execute Draw | Points | Number Points, and number

them from 1 to 3 starting with the bottom Point.

The point masses will be modeled with cubes, so they are

more visible during animation. To add a Cube at Point 3,

Execute Draw | Drawing Assistant to open the Drawing Assistant window.

On the Objects tab, double click on the Cube object to

place it in the right view.

On the Properties tab, enter Width, Height, & Length

= 0.25, and Points = 2 for all three directions.

On the Position tab, enter Z Global Offset = 0.5.

On the Appearance tab, make sure that Points & Lines

are selected.

The Cube should be displayed in the Drawing Assistant

as shown in Figure 3. Click on OK.

To add the two masses to the model,

Figure 4. Model with Two Masses Added.

RIGID BODY MODES OF MASSES

Each of the masses will have a single rigid body mode of
vibration, since it is merely a mass in space, not connected
to anything. To generate the mode for the first mass,

Figure 3. Drawing Assistant Setup for Cube.

Press the Hide button in the spreadsheet for Mass 2 to

hide it.

Execute Modify | Calculate Element Modes. A dialog

box will open asking you to name the Shape Table file
for the new mode shape. Enter the name Mass 1
Shape, and click on OK.

Now, use the Hide buttons to hide mass Mass 1 and

show (unhide) Mass 2.

Execute Modify | Calculate Element Modes again.

Enter the name Mass 2, and click on OK.

To add a Cube at Point 1,

Unselect the top Cube in the Structure window.

Execute Draw | Drawing Assistant again to open the

Drawing Assistant window.

On the Position tab, enter Z Global Offset = -0.5, and

click on OK.

The top and bottom Cubes should now be added to the

Structure model, as shown in Figure 1.

Your Project should display the names of the two Shape

Tables that you have just created.

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Double click on Mass 1.SHP in the Project window to

display its window.

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Setting Up Interpolation

Execute Display | Shapes | Magnitude/Phase in the

Mass 1.SHP window.

The mode shape data shown in Figure 5 should be displayed. This is a rigid body mode shape of Mass 1. Since
the mass is not attached to anything, its modal frequency is
zero (0).

We want to set up interpolation so that the Cubes will also

move with the motions of Points 1 and 3.

Select Points in the Object list on the Toolbar in the

Structure window.

Hold down the Alt key on the keyboard, click and drag
to surround the top Cube with the Selection Box.

Execute Draw | Interpolate Selected Points. A dialog

box will open. Click on OK, and again in the box that
follows.

Repeat the steps above, but this time select Point 1 and
all of the Points of the bottom Cube.

The model is now ready for animated display of the mode

shapes.

Figure 5. Rigid Body Mode Shape of Mass 1.

ANIMATING THE SHAPES

MERGING THE TWO SHAPE FILES

In order to connect the two masses together with springs, the
mode shapes of the two masses (sub-structures) have to be
merged together in the same Shape Table. We will paste
Mass 2.SHP into Mass 1.SHP.

Now, press the Animate button

Execute Display | Shape Headers in the Mass 1.SHP

window.

In the Mass 1.SHP window, execute Edit | Paste

Shape File.

Select Mass 2.SHP from the file list, and click on OK.

You can now view the two modes of the masses in animation, by alternately selecting Shape 1 or Shape 2. Notice
that the two modes are the rigid body modes of each of the
masses constrained to motion in only the Z direction (Remember that we oriented the masses in the Global Z direction).

Now, the Mass 1.SHP Shape Table has two (Zero Frequency) rigid body mode shapes in it, one for each mass.
Notice that the mode shapes each have two DOFs, 1Z and
3Z.

Animating the Shapes

To animate the model with these shapes, they first need to be
assigned to the model.

Execute Tools | Assign M#s in the Mass 1.SHP window. Click on OK. The following box will open.

Click on OK.

CONNECTING THE MASSES TOGETHER

WITH SPRINGS
Now, two springs will be added to the structure model to
connect the masses together,

Press the Draw

button to return the Structure window to the Draw state.

Select FE Springs from the Object list on the Toolbar.

on the Toolbar. Click near

Press the Add button
the Point 1 (bottom mass), and then near Point 2 (the
middle Point) to add the first spring.

Click near the Point 3 (top mass), and then Point 2 to

add the second spring.

In the spring spreadsheet, double click on the column

headings (Orient 1 & Orient 2) and choose Global Z
for the end point orientations.

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Change the Label S1 to Spring 1, and Label S2 to

Spring 2.

Double click on the Stiffness column heading, and enter

1,000,000 N/m for both spring stiffnesses.

CHECKING THE RESULTS

MAKING THE MODIFICATION

Now, we are ready to calculate the modes of the two masses
connected together with the two springs. Structural Modification uses the modes of the unmodified structure (the rigid
body modes of the two masses) and the spring definitions.
First, the masses have to be hidden so they will be ignored in
the calculation.

Select FE Masses from the Object list on the Toolbar.

Click on the Hide buttons for both masses to hide them.

To make the modification,

Execute Modify | Calculate New Modes. The Shape

Table file selection box will open. Select Mass 1.SHP
from the list, and click on OK.

When the new modes have been computed, another dialog

box will open asking you to name the Shape Table file for
the new modes.

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Enter New Modes into the dialog box, and click on

OK.

Since this is a simple lumped parameter model (two point

masses with two springs), we can compute the element
modes of the entire structure to compare them with the
Structural Modification results. Secondly, since the two
springs are connected together in series by the common
(mass-less) Point 2, we can replace them with a single spring
having the same effective stiffness.

Computing Element Modes

To compute the modes of the two masses connected by two
springs,

Press Draw
Draw state.

Select FE Masses from the Object drop down list, and

press the Hide buttons to un-hide the two masses.

Execute Modify | Calculate Element Modes. A dialog

box will open, asking you to enter a name for the element modes Shape file. Enter Element Modes, and
click on OK.

The Shape window will open with the element modes in

it.

to return the Structure window to the

Notice that these modes have the same frequencies as those

in Figure 6. To display these modes in animation,

Press the Animate button

ment Modes.SHP window.

and click on the Ele-

Two Springs in Series

Figure 6. Modes of Two Masses Connected With Springs.

The two springs are connected in series since there is no

mass at Point 2 where the springs connect to each other.
Two springs ( K 1 , K 2 ) connected in series can be replaced
by a single spring with an overall stiffness ( K T ) given by
the formula,

The shape window will open showing the frequencies of the

new modes, as shown in Figure 6.

1
1
1
=
+
KT
K1 K 2

, and click on the NewPress the Animate button

Modes.SHP window to display the new modes in animation.

The first (0 Hz) mode is the rigid body motion of both

masses moving together in space. The second (136.5 Hz)
mode is the two masses moving out-of-phase with one another.

Using this formula, a third spring with stiffness ( K T ) can

be added between the two masses in place of the two springs
( K 1 , K 2 ).

K 1 = K 2 = 1,000,000 N/m. Therefore,

K T = 500,000 N/m. To add this new spring to the

In this case,

structure model,

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Press Draw
Draw state.

to return the Structure window to the

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Select FE Springs from the Object list on the Toolbar.

, and click on Mass 1, and

Press the Add button
then on Mass 2 to add the spring.

In the Springs spreadsheet, orient the ends of Spring 3

in the Global Z direction, and enter its stiffness
(500,000 N/m).

Press the Hide buttons of Spring 1 and Spring 2 to

remove them from the display.

Two Ways to Check the Results

There are two ways to check the previous results using the
structure model with one spring connecting the two masses,
1.

Execute Modify | Calculate Element Modes using the

two masses and Spring 3.

2.

Hide the masses, and execute Modify | Calculate New

Modes using the unmodified modes in Mass 1.SHP
and Spring 3.

Try both of the above methods to verify that the modal frequencies are the same.

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