The Rayleigh’s Method for n-d.o.f.

systems
The Rayleigh’s method is an energetic approach to find the natural frequencies of 1-d.o.f.
systems.
The method can be extended to find the approximate value of the fundamental natural
frequency of a discrete n-d.o.f system.
The method relies on Rayleigh’s principle:
• The frequency of vibration of a conservative system vibrating about an equilibrium
position has a stationary value in the neighborhood of a natural mode.
• This stationary value is a minimum value in the neighborhood of the fundamental
natural mode.
 The Rayleigh’s Method for n-d.o.f. systems
Consider a conservative n-d.o.f system (with no damping). In this condition, convervation of
energy imply that maximum kinetic energy must equate maximum potential energy, i.e.

If we assume the system is vibrating, it is reasonable to take from which we get

The above is known as Rayleigh’s quotient. We want now to proof that R is stationary
near to a natural mode and minimum for the fundamental frequency.
 The Rayleigh’s Method for n-d.o.f. systems
X T KX R(X) has a stationary value when the arbitrary vector X is in the
R X = = T 2

X MX neighborhood of any eigenvector Xr.

Let us express a generic displacement X as a linear combination of the eigenvectors

1 if j = l  2j if j = l
X = c1 X1 + c2 X 2 + ... + cn X n X j MX l = 
T
X j KX l = 
T

 0 if j  l  0 if j  l
Then:
n n
X KX =  c X KX j =  c 2j  2j
T 2
j
T
j
j =1 j =1 c1212 + c2222 + ... + cn2n2
R X = = 2
n n
c12 + c22 + ... + cn2
X MX =  c X MX j =  c 2j
T 2
j
T
j
j =1 j =1

Now, if X  Xr

→ cr  ci , i  r n
ci2 2
 +  2 i
2
r
j =1 cr
ci j r
 i =  1 R X = 2 = → R X  X r = r2 1 + O  2
cr n
ci2
1+  2
j =1 cr
j r
 The Rayleigh’s Method for n-d.o.f. systems
n
Now, if X  Xr  +   2j  2j
2
r
j =1
cj
j =  1 R X = = 2 j r
n
→ R X  X r = r2 1 + O  2
cr 1 +   2j
j =1
j r

If the arbitrary vector X differs from the eigenvector Xr by a small quantity of the first
order ( ), R(X) differs from the eigenvalue r2 by a small quantity of the second order
( ).
This confirms that Rayleigh’s quotient has a stationary value in the neighborhood of an
eigenvector.
The stationary value is actually a minimum value in the neighborhood of the fundamental
mode X1. Indeed:
n n n

  − 
2
j
2
j
2
1  2
j  j j 1
 2

j =2
2
−  2

R X =  2 = 12 +
j =2
n
j =2
= 12 + n
1+  2
j
1 +   2j
j =2 j =2

n
→ R X  X 1   +   i2  2j − 12
2
1 Since j
2 > 1
2 → R X  X 1  12
j =2
 The Rayleigh’s Method for n-d.o.f. systems
n
Now, if X  Xr  +   2j  2j
2
r
j =1
cj
j =  1 R X = = 2 j r
n
→ R X  X r = r2 1 + O  2
cr 1 +   2j
For, if X  X1 j =1
j r

→ R X  X 1  12 Rayleigh’s quotient provides an upper bound for 2 and a

1
lower bound for n2.
Similarly, for X  Xn

→ R X  X n  n2

The Rayleigh’s quotient R(X) can be used to find an approximate value of the first natural
frequency of the system:
• Select a trial vector X to represent the first natural mode X1
• Substituting it in R(X) will then yield the approximate value of 1
2

Because Rayleigh’s quotient is stationary, remarkably good estimates of 12 can be obtained

even if the trial vector X deviates significantly from the true natural mode X1.
Obviously, the estimated value of the fundamental frequency 1 is more accurate if the
trial vector (X) chosen resembles the true natural mode X1 closely.