List of Symbols

The list below gives the most frequent definition of the main symbols used in
this book. Some of the symbols can have another meaning which will be defined in
the text to avoid any confusion.

a Threshold value of A t  or G  Power spectral density for

maximum of A t  0df df
A Maximum of A  t  
G  Measured value of G 
A t 
G Au  
Envelope of a signal
Cross-power spectral density
b Exponent
c Viscous damping constant h Interval (f f0 ) or f2 f1
e t  Narrow band white noise h t  Impulse response
E  Expectation of... H  Transfer function
E1   First definition of error i 1
function k Stiffness
K Number of subsamples
E2   Second definition of error
A Value of A t 
function A Mean value of A t 
Erf Error function
AN Average maximum of N p
E  Expected function of ...
peaks
f Frequency of excitation
A rms Rms value of A t 
f samp. Sampling frequency
A
rms Rms value of At 
f max Maximum frequency
f0 Natural frequency A t  Generalized excitation
(displacement)
g Acceleration due to
A  First derivative of A t 
gravity
G Particular value of power At  Second derivative of A t 
spectral density
L Given value of A t 
L rms Rms value of filtered signal
xx Random Vibration


Np Average number of positive
L : Fourier transform of A t 
  : maxima for given length of
L Fourier transform of A t  time
p 
m Mean
Probability density
M Number of points of PSD
Ma Average number of maxima pN   Probability density of largest
which exceeds threshold per maximum over given
unit time duration
Mn Moment of order n P Probability
n Order of moment or PSD Power spectral density
number of degrees of 2
q 1 r
freedom qE 
R rms u rms
na Average number of

crossings of threshold a per q max Probability that a maximum
unit time is positive
 
na Average number of q max Probability that a maximum
crossings of threshold D with is negative
positive slope per unit time q  Probability density of
n0 Average number of zero- maxima of A t 
crossings per unit time q  T Reduced response

n0 Average number of zero- q  T First derivative of q  T
crossings with positive slope q T Second derivative of q  T
per second (average
Q Q factor (quality factor)
frequency)
 Q  Distribution function of
np Average number of maxima
maxima of A t 
per unit time
Q u  Probability that a maximum
N Number of curves or
is higher than a given
Number of points of signal
threshold
or
r Irregularity factor
Numbers of dB
rms Root mean square (value)
Np Number of peaks
r t  Temporal window

Na Average number of R Slope in dB/octave or
crossings of threshold D with Ratio of the number of
positive slope for given minima to the number of
length of time maxima
 RE  Auto-correlation function of
N0 Average number of
zero-crossings with positive envelope
slope for given length of R Au Cross-correlation function
time between A t  and u  t 
R f  Fourier transform of r  t 
R(t) Envelope of maxima of u  t 
 List of Symbols xxi

R  t  First derivative of R(t) z rms Rms value of z  t 

R W Auto-correlation function zrms Rms value of z t 
s Standard deviation D Time-constant of the
S0 Value of constant PSD probability density of the
S  Power spectral density for first passage of a threshold
or
f d f d f
Risk of up-crossing or
t Time
2
T Duration of sample of 2 1[
signal or duration of
vibration E 
2 1 2 [
2

Ta Average time between two Fn
2
Variable of chi-square with
successive maxima n degrees of freedom
u Ratio of threshold a to rms Gt Time step
value A rms of A t  G  Dirac delta function
u0 Initial value of u  t  'W Effective time interval
u 0 Initial value of u  t  'f Frequency interval between
u0 Average of highest peaks half-power points or
u rms Rms value of u  t  frequency step of the PSD
'F Bandwidth of analysis filter
u rms Rms value of u  t  'A Interval of amplitude of A t 
urms u t
Rms value of  't Time interval
u t  Generalized response H Statistical error
or Euler’s constant
u  t  First derivative of u  t 
(0.57721566490…)
u t 
 Second derivative of u  t  J Au Coherence function between
v Ratio a u rms
A t  and u  t 
v rms Rms value of x  t  M Phase
x rms Rms value of x t  ) t  Gauss complementary
x t  Absolute acceleration of distribution function
base of one-degree-of- O  Reduced excitation
freedom system S 3.14159265...
x rms Rms value of x t  T Reduced time (Z0 t )
x m Maximum value of x t  Pn Central moment of order n
y rms Rms value of y t  Pcn Reduced central moment of
y rms Rms value of y  t  order n
y rms Rms value of y t  S 3.14159265 ...
U Correlation coefficient
z rms Rms value of z t 
W Delay
xxii Random Vibration

Wm Average time between two : Pulsation of excitation

successive maxima (2 S f )
Z0 Natural pulsation (2 S f0 ) [ Damping factor
\ Phase
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