Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Frequency response is the quantitative measure of the output spectrum of a system or device in response to a stimulus, and is used to
characterise the dynamics of the system. It is a measure of magnitude and phase of the output as a function of frequency, in comparison to
the input. It is a used to compute structural response when is applied a steady oscillation, like rotating machinery, helicopter blades, etc.
Forces can be in the form of applied forces and/or enforced motions (displacements,velocities, or accelerations). In nature the oscillatory
loading is sinusoidal.
The steady-state oscillatory response occurs at the same frequency as the loading. The response may be shifted in time due to damping in
the system.
The important results obtained from a frequency response analysis usually include the displacements, velocities, and accelerations of grid
points as well as the forces and stresses of elements. The computed responses are complex numbers defined as magnitude and phase (with
respect to the applied force) or as real and imaginary components, which are vector components of the response in the real/imaginary
plane. Two different numerical methods can be used in frequency response analysis. The direct method solves the coupled equations of
motion in terms of forcing frequency. The modal method utilizes the mode shapes of the structure to reduce and uncouple the equations of
motion. The choice of the method depends on the problem.
The structural response is computed at discrete excitation frequencies by solving a set of coupled matrix equations. Begin with the damped
forced vibration equation of motion with harmonic excitation:
[B] is the damping matrix, [K] is the stiffness matrix. The load is introduced as a complex vector, the load can be real or imaginary. For
harmonic motion (which is the basis of a frequency response analysis), assume a harmonic solution of the form:
where { u (ω) } is a complex displacement vector. Taking the first and second derivatives, replacing in the equation and dividing by ei ωt :
This equation is solved by inserting the forcing frequency, and it represents a system of equations with complex coefficients if dampingis
included or the applied loads have phase angles. The equations of motion at each input frequency are then solved in a manner similar to a
statics problem using complex arithmetic. Damping simulates the energy dissipation characteristics of a structure. I can be accounted by
damping elements CVISC, CDAMPi, and the direct Input Damping Matrixs B2GG and B2PP.
The mode shapes are used to transform the problem in terms of the behavior of the modes [φ] as opposed to the behavior of the grid
points. To proceed, temporarily ignore all damping, which results in the undamped equation for harmonic motion:
at forcing frequency ω. Substituting the (3) in (4), dividing by ei ωt and premultiply by to obtain [φT] the following is obtained:
where:
The generalized mass and stiffness matrices are diagonal and do not have the off-diagonal terms that couple the equations of motion.
Therefore, in this form the modal equations of motion are uncoupled. In this uncoupled form, the equations of motion are written as a set of
uncoupled single degree-of-freedom systems as:
where:
The modal form of the frequency response equation of motion is much faster to solve than the direct method because it is a series of
uncoupled single degree-of-freedom systems. If the damping [B] matrix exists, the orthogonality property of the modes does not, in general,
diagonalize the generalized damping matrix and the the generalized stiffness matrix:
[φ ]T [B ] [φ ]≠ diagonal
[φ]T [K ] [φ ]≠ diagonal
In the presence of a matrix [B] or a complex stiffness matrix, the modal frequency approach solves the coupled problem in terms of modal
coordinates using the direct frequency approach. When modal damping is used, each mode has damping bi where bi = 2mi ωiξi. The
equations of motion remain uncoupled and have the form for each mode:
The TABDMP1 Bulk Data entry defines the modal damping ratios, where the frequency/damping pairs are specified, the damping value has
to be applied to specific value of the frequency. The TABDMP1 table is activated by selecting the Table ID with the SDAMPING Case Control
command.
Figure 2 – TABDMP1 entry Nastran
Linear interpolation is used for modal frequencies between consecutive values. ENDT ends the table input. Below there is an exemple of the
interpolation / extrapolation for the modal damping. The frequency of 1 Hz is extrapolated by the entries at f = 2.0 and 3.0 Hz.
Figure 3: TABDMP1
Entered Computed
f (Hz) z f (Hz) z
The decoupled solution procedure used in modal frequency response can be used only if either no damping is present or modal damping
alone (via TABDMP1) is used. Otherwise, the modal method uses the coupled solution method on the smaller modal coordinate matrices if
nonmodal damping (i.e., CVISC, CDAMPi, GE on the MATi entry, or PARAM,G) is present. The modes whose resonant frequencies lie within
the range of forcing frequencies must to be retain. For example, if the frequency response analysis must be between 100 and 3000 Hz, all
modes whose resonant frequencies are in this range should be retained. For better accuracy, all modes up to at least two to three times the
highest forcing frequency should be retained.
We can select a specific range of mode frequencies by the eigenvalue entry (EIGRL or EIGR). Since for the default all computed modes are
retained, three parameters are available to limit the number of modes included in the solution. PARAM,LFREQ gives the lower limit on the
frequency range of retained modes, PARAM,HFREQ gives the upper limit, PARAM,LMODES gives the number of lowest modes to be
retained. In modal frequency response analysis, two options are available for recovering displacements and stresses: the mode
displacement method and the matrix method. Since the number of modes is usually much less that the number of excitation frequencies, the
matrix method is usually more efficient and is the default. The mode displacement method can be selected by using PARAM,DDRMM,-1 in
the Bulk Data.
Modal Versus Direct Frequency Response
In general, larger models may be solved more efficiently in modal frequency response because the numerical solution is a solution of a
smaller system of uncoupled equations. The major portion of the effort in a modal frequency response analysis is the calculation of the
modes. For large systems with a large number of modes, this operation can be as costly as a direct solution. The direct method is more
accurate than the modal method because the direct method is not concerned with mode truncation.
Modal Direct
Small Model ●
Large Model ●
Few Excitation ●
Frequencies
Many Excitation ●
Frequencies
High Frequency ●
Excitation
Nonmodal ●
Damping
Higher Accuracy ●
In a frequency response analysis, the force must be defined as a function of frequency. Forces are defined in the same manner for the direct
and modal method. The following Bulk Data entries are used for the frequency-dependent load definition:
LSEQ – Generates the spatial distribution of dynamic loads from static load entries
Only concentrated forces and moments can be specified directly using DAREA entries. To accommodate more complicated loadings
conveniently, the LSEQ entry is used to define static load entries that define the spatial distribution of dynamic loads. The frequency variation
in the loading is the characteristic that differentiates a dynamic load from a static load (temporal distribution of the load)
The values of the coefficients are defined in tabular format on a TABLEDi entry. You need not explicitly define a force at every excitation
frequency. Only those values that describe the character of the loading are required. MSC.Nastran will interpolate for intermediate values.
The RLOAD2 entry is a variation of the RLOAD1, which defines the real and imaginary parts of the complex load, instead the RLOAD2 entry
defines the magnitude and phase.
RLOAD1 = RLOAD2
C( f ) + i D( f ) = B( f ) eiΦ(f)
– Spatial Distribution of Loading — DAREA
Entry
The TABLEDi entries (i = 1 through 4) each define a tabular function for use in generating frequency-dependent dynamic loads. The form of
each TABLEDi entry varies slightly, depending on the value of i, as does the algorithm for y(x). The x values need not be evenly spaced. The
TABLED1, TABLED2, and TABLED3 entries linearly interpolate between the end points and linearly extrapolate outside of the endpoints, as
shown in the figure below.
y = yT(x )
See the Nastran Quick Reference for the TABLED2, and TABLED3. The choise of the TABLEDi depends of which algorithms is necessary for
the interpolation and extrapolation of x and y entries.
– Static Load Sets – LSEQ Entry
LOADSET = 27
DLOAD = 25
The Load Set ID may refer to one or more static load entries (FORCE, PLOADi, GRAV, etc.).
The total applied load is constructed from a linear combination of component load sets as follows:
{P}= S ∑iSi{Pi}
S is the overall scale factor, Si scale factor for the i-th load set, Pi i-th load set. DLOAD Bulk Data entry has the following format:
Excitation frequency
There are six Bulk Data entries that you can use to select the frequency at which the solution is to be performed. Each specified frequency
results in an independent solution at the specified excitation frequency.
FREQ – Defines descrete excitation frequencies and entry specifies ten specific loading frequencies
FREQ1 – Defines a starting frequency Fstart, a frequency incitement ∆f, and the number of frequency increments to solve NDF.
FREQ2 – Defines a starting frequency Fstart, and ending frequency Fend, and a number of logaritmic intervals NF, to be used in the
frequency range.
FREQ3 – Used for modal solution only, it defines the number of excitation frequencies (NEF) used between modal pairs (F1, F2) in a given
range. By TYPE field is possible use linear (LINEAR, Default) or logarithmic (LOG) interpolation between frequencies. By a CLUSTER value
greater than 1 provides closer spacing of excitation frequencies near the modal frequencies, where greater resolution is needed.
FREQ4 – Used for modal solution only, it defines excitation frequencies using a spread about each normal mode within a range. F1 and F2
are respectively lower and upper bound of modal frequency range. The example FREQ4 chooses 21 equally spaced frequencies across a
frequency band of 0.7 fN to 1.3 fN for each natural frequency between 20 and 2000.
FREQ5 – Used for modal solution only, it defines excitation frequencies as all frequencies in a given range (F1 and F2 are respectively lower
and upper bound of modal frequency range) as a defined fraction (FRi) of the normal modes.
Considerations
Undamped or very lightly damped structures exhibit large dynamic responses for excitation frequencies near resonant frequencies. Use a
fine enough frequency step size (∆f ) to adequately predict peak response. Use at least five points across the half-power bandwidth (which is
approximately 2ξfn for an SDOF system) as shown in the Figure below.
Examples
1) Bracket
Consider the bracket model shown in Figure below. An oscillating gravity load of 9*g = 9*9.81m/s2 =88.29 m/s2 is applied to the entire item
in the z-direction. The model is constrained at its base. Modal frequency response is run from 0 to 140 Hz with a frequency step size of 0.2
Hz. Eigenvalues to 1000 Hz are computed using the Lanczos method. No modal damping is applied.
Below is shown the input BDF file. The LSEQ entry is used to apply the gravity loads (GRAV entries). Note that the LSEQ and RLOAD1
entries reference a common DAREA ID (the node 61626080) and that there is no explicit DAREA entry.
SOL 111
TIME 400
CEND
ECHO = NONE
$ SPECIFY SPC
SPC = 3
METHOD = 777
DLOAD = 2
$ SDAMPING = 4
LOADSET = 3
FREQUENCY = 5
$ OUTPUT REQUEST
DISPLACEMENT(PHASE,PLOT)=123
$ XYPLOTS
$
OUTPUT(XYPLOT)
$ XTGRID: Controls the drawing of the grid lines parallel to the x-axis at the y-axis tic marks on upper half frame
$ curves only.
XTGRID = YES
YTGRID = YES
$ XBGRID: Controls the drawing of the grid lines parallel to the x-axis at the y-axis tic marks on lower half frame
$ curves only.
XBGRID = YES
YBGRID = YES
$ PLOT RESULTS
XTITLE = FREQUENCY
$ YTLOG: Selects logarithmic or linear y-axis for upper half frame curves only. YES – > Plot a logarithmic y-axis. NO
Plot a linear y-axis
$ T2RM, Ti stands for the i-th translational component, RM means real or magnitude, IP means imaginary or phase
XYPLOT,XYPUNCH,DISP /61626080(T3RM,T3IP)
XYPLOT,XYPUNCH,DISP /61626080(R3RM,R3IP)
BEGIN BULK
$…….2…….3…….4…….5…….6…….7…….8…….9…….10…..$
$EIGRL SID V1 V2
$ DYNAMIC LOADING
RLOAD1 2 61626080 22
LSEQ 3 61626080 1
$TABLED1 TID
$+TABL1 X1 Y1 X2 Y2 ETC.
TABLED1 22
GRAV 1 0 -88290. 0. 0. 1.
include ‘Bulk_DFEM.bdf’
ENDDATA
The Figure below shows a logarithmic plot of the z-displacement and rotation magnitude of grid point 61626080, which is the concentrated
mass at the center of the cutout.
Logarithmic plots are especially useful for displaying frequency response results since there can be several orders of magnitude between the
maximum and minimum response values. The output is generated by OUTPUT(XYPLOT) card. In output a .plt file and .pch files are
generated. If you don’t have the NASTRAN NASTPLT Post Processor, you can produce the plot by mean the pch file, importing it in excel
and creating easly the curves shown above. Where the current frequency corresponds to the modal frequency (in this case for the first mode
is 107 Hz) for the resonance reason, the displacement is much higher (mainly for the displacement, since the load is not a rotation), there
is a singularity.
2) Beam Model
Consider a unidimensional model of the cantilever beam shown in the Figure below with unrestrained DOFs in the T2 and R3 directions. Two
loads are applied: one at grid point 6 and the other at grid point 11. The loads have the frequency variation shown in Figure below. The loads
in the figure are indicated with a heavy line in order to emphasize their values. The load at grid point 6 has a 45-degree phase lead, and the
load at grid point 11 is scaled to be twice that of the load at grid point 6. Modal frequency response is run across a frequency range of 0 to 20
Hz. Modal damping is used with 2% critical damping between 0 and 10 Hz and 5% critical damping above 10 Hz. Modes to 500 Hz are
computed using the Lanczos method.
where:
A = 1.0 for grid point 6 and 2.0 for grid point 11 (entered on the DAREA entry)
Θ = phase lead of 45 degrees for grid point 6 (entered on the DPHASE entry)
Logarithmic plots of the output are shown in the following figures. Figure 11 shows the magnitude of the displacements for grid points 6 and
11. Figure 12 shows the magnitude of the modal displacements for modes 1 and 2. Figure 13 shows the magnitude of the bending moment
at end A in plane 1 for element 6.