Measurement and Analysis of The Dynamics of Mechanical Structures

Hewlett-Packard Conference for Automotive and Related Industries, Detroit, MI, October, 1978
MEASUREMENT AND ANALYSIS

OF THE DYNAMICS
OF MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
by Mark H. Richardson
INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, government regulations, consumer action groups, oil crises, inflation, and many other factors
are putting pressure on the automotive industry, and many other industries, to build products which
weigh less and operate more reliably and efficiently, with less noise and vibration than in the past. To
design products which meet these more stringent requirements, design engineers must have better testing
and analysis tools to assist them.
This paper discusses modern methods for testing, modeling and analyzing the dynamics of mechanical
structures. The topics covered are listed in Figure 1. As indicated, much of the discussion concerns the
modes of vibration of mechanical structures which turn out to be the link between the testing and
analysis methods discussed in this paper.
Mechanical design problems can be divided into four categories, depending upon whether forces or
motion on the structure are taken into account. These four alternatives are shown in the matrix in Figure
2.
When forces and motion on a structure are ignored, the design problem can be considered to be one of
styling. Styling, in this respect, can include determining the sizes and shapes of components, and the
entire layout of the mechanical system, not just its outward appearance.
If the structure must withstand or transmit certain known forces, then a static analysis may be carried out
to insure that certain components of the structure are strong enough to withstand the forces. For
example, the suspension springs in an automobile must have sufficient strength to support to weight of
the body and engine, etc.
In most cases, any rotating or moving parts of a mechanical system must be laid out so that they move
with the proper motion with respect to one another. These design problems are known as kinematics
problems. For example in an automobile engine, there are numerous rotating gears, shafts, pulleys,
chains, cams, etc. that must undergo the proper motion relative to one another in order for the engine to
run.
A designer may do a thorough job of analyzing the effects of forces and motion individually on a
structure, but once it is subjected to a dynamic environment, where forces and motion occur together, he
finds that it has many noise and vibration problems. These dynamics problems, which are influenced by
inertial forces and the elastic behavior of the structure, are often very difficult to solve.
MODELING STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS
For the purposes of modeling their dynamics, mechanical structures can be divided into two classes;
RIGID bodies and ELASTIC bodies. Although most structures are elastic throughout, many times
analysis of their dynamics can be greatly simplified without significant loss of accuracy by assuming
that they behave as if they were an assemblage of rigid masses connected together by spring and damper
elements. (A simple mass, spring, damper system is shown in Figure 3.) Rigid body systems (also called
lumped parameter systems) can be analyzed in a straightforward manner by applying Newton's Second
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Law to all masses in the system. By performing a "force balance" on the system, that is by setting all
forces acting on each mass equal to its mass multiplied by its acceleration, a set of differential
equations is derived which completely describes the dynamics of the system. These equations can then
be solved analytically to yield structural responses to specified external forces and boundary conditions.
However many dynamics problems cannot be solved by using a rigid body approximation of the
structure. These problems require that the distributed elastic behavior of the structure be modeled more
accurately.
If the structure has a simple geometric shape and its physical properties (eg. density and elasticity) are
more or less uniform throughout, then a partial differential equation of the form known as the "wave
equation" can be used to describe its dynamics. There are well known solutions to the wave equation for
many types of simple mechanical structures, such as beams, shafts and plates. However the
approximations required in order to apply these analytical methods are often too restrictive to adequately
describe the dynamics of a complex structure such as automobile body.
The requirement for a more generalized method for modeling the dynamics of large, complex structures
with non-homogeneous physical properties has brought about the development in recent years of the
finite element modeling method.
The Finite Element Method
The objective of the finite element method is to sub-divide a structure into an assemblage of many
smaller elements such as plates, beams, shafts, etc. Then the overall equations of motion of the structure
are constructed from equations describing the motions of each of the individual elements, plus all the
boundary conditions at the connection points between elements. (This process is depicted in Figure 4.)
A primary advantage of this approach is that it has been computerized, and readily available programs
such as the NASTRAN program, which was initially developed by NASA (The National Aeronautics
and Space Administration of the United States) to assist in the design of space vehicles, can be used to
build very large dynamic models of complex structures.
As shown in Figure 4, the differential equations of motion are a set of simultaneous, second order
differential equations which represent a "force balance" among the inertial, dissipative, restoring and
externally applied forces on the structure.
Note that the space variable x(t) has been "discretized" in this modeling process. That is, a finite
number of degrees-of-freedom have been chosen to represent the motion of the structure. (A degree-of-
freedom is motion at a point in a particular direction.) This approximation removes all derivatives with
respect to the space variable from the equations and reduces them to a "generalized" statement of
Newton's Second Law.
Although these equations are of the same form as those obtained by using rigid body analysis, the mass,
stiffness, and damping coefficient matrices do not necessarily contain mass values, spring constants and
damping coefficients which are readily associated with lumped elements on the structure. Rather, these
matrices can be viewed simply as coefficients which are necessary to satisfy force balances between the
various finite elements of the structure.
Once the mathematical model has been built, (i.e. the mass, stiffness and damping matrices have been
synthesized), the equations of motion can be solved, again by using computer methods.
A popular method of solving the equations of motion is to "diagonalize" them. This is done by finding
the "eigenvalues" and "eigenvectors" of the equations. A commonly used approach is to assume that the
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damping forces on the structure are negligible, and can therefore be ignored. The equations of motion,
minus the damping terms, can be transformed to a new coordinate system, called "generalized"
coordinates, and written in diagonal or uncoupled form as shown in Figure 5. The transformation
relating the Generalized coordinates to the actual degrees-of-freedom of the structure is a matrix, the
columns of which are the eigenvectors of the system. Once the equations of motion are in diagonal form
it is much easier to solve them to obtain the structure's response to externally applied forces. This model
is known as a "normal mode" model.
Uses of the Mathematical Model
A finite element model can be used to perform several different types of analysis. They include: LOAD
ANALYSIS, MODAL ANALYSIS, WHAT IF INVESTIGATIONS and DYNAMIC SIMULATION.
LOAD ANALYSIS is basically an analysis of the internal stresses and strains in a structure due to
external loads. If the structure is in a static condition (i.e. all accelerations are zero) then the equations
of motion reduce to a force balance between the internal restoring forces and externally applied forces.
By performing analyses with these equations, areas of high static stress or strain can be located on the
structure. In a similar manner dynamic stress and strain levels can be analyzed if the inertial terms are
also included in the equations of motion.
MODAL ANALYSIS is defined as the process of characterizing the dynamics of a structure in terms of
its modes of vibration. It turns out that the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the previously defined
normal mode mathematical model are also parameters which define the resonant frequencies and mode
shapes of the modes of vibration of the structure. (This is shown in Figure 6.) That is, the eigenvalues of
the equations of motion correspond to frequencies at which the structure tends to vibrate with a
predominant, well defined deformation. The amplitude of this wave motion on the structure is specified
by the corresponding eigenvector. Each mode of vibration, then, is defined by an eigenvalue (resonant
frequency) and corresponding eigenvector (mode shape). If the dynamic model has n-degrees-of-
freedom then it also has n-eigenvalue-eigenvector pairs, or n-modes of vibration.
Knowing the modes of vibration of a structure is useful information in itself, for it tells at what
frequencies the structure can be excited into resonant motion, and the predominant wave-like motion it
will assume at a resonant frequency. In many cases, this information is sufficient for modifying the
structural design in order to reduce noise and vibration.
WHAT IF INVESTIGATIONS can be conducted using a finite element model to determine how changes
in the mass or stiffness of the structure will affect its dynamic characteristics. These types of
investigations can be made using the mathematical model long before the first prototype structure is
even built. This way, 4D any deficiencies in the design can be spotted early in the design cycle where
changes are a lot less costly than in the later stages. This capability is perhaps the single most important
advantage of finite element modeling.
A finite element model can also be used for SIMULATION of the dynamic response of the structure to
real world external forces. These forces might be of short duration and high amplitude, i.e. impulsive in
nature, in which case they could cause immediate damage to the structure. Or they may be of long
duration and cyclic in nature, and could cause fatigue damage to the structure over a long period of time.
The simulated response of the mathematical model could be used as input to fatigue damage prediction
algorithms, thus giving information about the fatigue life of a prototype design even before the first
prototype is constructed.
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Finite element modeling does however have two major disadvantages, as pointed out in Figure 7. Most
finite element computer programs are very large in size, and require large computers with lots of
memory in which to operate. Hence, it is not unusual for companies to spend tens of thousands of
dollars to develop a single finite element model. To obtain the required accuracy, models containing
several thousand degrees-of-freedom are not uncommon. Models of this size require many man-hours
of effort to develop, debug, and operate.
A second disadvantage of finite element modeling is that the dynamic response of the model can differ
substantially from that of the actual structure. This can occur because of errors in entering model
parameters, but can also occur when the finite elements do not approximate the real world situation well
enough. Many times the model will turn out to be much stiffer than the actual structure. This can be
due to the use of an inadequate number of elements or unrealistic boundary conditions between
elements. Both of these disadvantages point to a need for dynamic testing of the structure in order to
confirm the validity of the model.
Why Dynamic Testing?
Not only is dynamic testing necessary in order to check a finite element model, but some other
Advantages can be gained from testing, as shown in Figure 8.
Dynamic testing can be used for troubleshooting noise and vibration problems in existing mechanical
systems. These problems can occur because of errors in the design or construction of the system, or they
could occur as a result or wearout, failure or malfunction in some of its components. Not only can
testing be used to locate a problem, but it can also be used to evaluate fixes to the problem. Finally
dynamic testing can be used to construct a dynamic model for components of a structure which are too
difficult to model analytically.
In all the cases mentioned above, the objective of the dynamic testing procedure is to excite and identify
the test specimen's modes of vibration. As shown in Figure 9 the common element between finite
element modeling and dynamic, (or modal) testing is the modal parameters of the structure.
MODES OF VIBRATION
As previously discussed, one of the mathematical transformations which can be performed on the
dynamic model of a structure converts it to an "uncoupled" form. This process involves identifying the
eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the equations of motion. These parameters also define the modes of
vibration of the structure.
Not only are modal parameters a fundamental part of a mathematical dynamic model, but they can be
observed in practically any vibrating body, Physically speaking modes of vibration are the so called
"natural" frequencies at which a structure's predominant motion is a well defined waveform, as shown in
Figure 10.
Mathematically speaking modes of vibration are defined by certain parameters of a linear dynamic
model. As shown in Figure 11 each mode of vibration is defined by a resonant frequency, a damping
factor and a mode shape. It will be shown later that a dynamic model can be completely represented in
terms of these parameters.
The purpose of modal testing, then, is to artificially excite a structure so that the frequencies, damping
and mode shapes of its predominant modes of vibration can be identified.
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MODAL TESTING METHODS

Two fundamentally different methods of modal testing are used today for testing structures. These
methods are referred to as the NORMAL MODE method and the TRANSFER FUNCTION method.
The NORMAL MODE method is the more traditional of the two, and has been used for the past 25
years by the aerospace industry to test large spacecraft and aircraft structures. The TRANSFER
FUNCTION method has become popular within the past 5 to 10 years and is being used by many
manufacturing industries, including the automotive and machine tool industries.
The Normal Mode Method
The primary objective of this method is to excite the undamped (or "normal") modes of a structure, one
at a time. This is typically done by attaching several shakers to the structure, as shown in Figure 12, and
driving them with a sinusoidal signal equal in frequency to the natural frequency of the mode to be
excited. The amplitudes and polarity of the sinusoidal drive signals are adjusted so that the externally
applied forces so that the predominant motion of the structure is due to the desired mode of vibration.
Resonant frequencies of modes are first located by performing so called WIDE BAND sweeps, usually
with only one shaker active. once a rise in the amplitude of response is detected (by watching the
response signal on an oscilloscope), a NARROW BAND sweep is performed using smaller frequency
changes to more accurately identify the frequency of the mode.
Once a resonant condition is located, multiple shakers are turned on in an effort to excite a single mode
of vibration.
The process of adjusting the amplitude, polarity, and frequency of the shakers to excite a normal mode is
called MODAL TUNING. Once a mode is properly excited its amplitudes of vibration at many points
on the structure are measured, and taken as the mode shape. This condition is referred to as MODAL
DWELL.
Then, to measure the damping of the mode, the shakers are simultaneously shut off to simulate an
impulse response of the structure at the frequency of the mode. Ideally the structure should exhibit a
damped sinusoidal response at all points, with a single frequency of vibration being the frequency of the
excited mode. Typically if more than one mode was excited during modal tuning and dwell, the impulse
responses will show a "beating" of several modal frequencies.
If, however, a so-called "pure" mode was excited, the damping of the structure at the modal frequency
can be measured from the envelope of the damped sinusoidal response.
There are a number of problems which make this testing method difficult, time consuming, and
expensive to implement. First of all, it is difficult to know where to locate shakers on the structure
without some forehand knowledge of the modes of vibration. Secondly, it is often extremely difficult to
excite closely coupled modes (i.e. close in frequency with heavy damping) one at a time. Thirdly, since
all the mode shape data is collected during modal dwell, the structure must be completely instrumented
with enough transducers and signal conditioning equipment so that amplitudes for all the desired
degrees-of-freedom can be measured at once.
The Transfer Function Method
This method has gained much popularity in recent years because it is faster and easier to perform, and is
much cheaper to implement than the normal mode testing method.
The major steps of the transfer function method are depicted in Figure 13. It is based upon the use of
digital signal processing techniques and the FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) algorithm to measure transfer
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functions between various points on the structure. For example, on the simple beam in Figure 13, a set
of transfer functions is measured between each of the X's marked on the beam, and a single response
point. A single transfer function measurement is obtained by exciting the beam with a hammer at one of
the X's, simultaneously measuring the input force and corresponding response motion signals, and then
dividing the Fourier transform of the response by the transform of the input.
Modal parameters are identified by performing further computations (i.e. "curve fitting") on this set of
transfer function measurements. Figure 14 shows how modal parameters can be obtained from transfer
function measurements. Although much more sophisticated curve fitting algorithms are often used to
identify modal parameters, this figure shows fundamentally how the parameters are obtained. The
figure shows the imaginary part of each transfer function made between an impact point and the
reference point. Modal frequencies correspond to peaks in the imaginary part of the transfer functions.
A peak should exist at the same frequency in all measurements, except those measured at "node" points
where the modal amplitude is zero. The width of the modal peak is related to the damping of the mode.
That is, the wider the peak, the higher the modal damping. The mode shape is obtained by assembling
the peak values at the same frequency from all measurements. As shown in Figure 14, as modal
frequency increases, the complexity of the mode shape also increases.
Some major differences between the two modal testing methods are shown in Figure 15. A fundamental
difference is that one method attempts to excite one mode at a time using a narrow band signal, while
the other attempts to excite many modes simultaneously, using a broadband signal. A distinct advantage
of the transfer function method is that any type of broadband excitation method can be used since the
measurement being made is a response signal divided by the input which caused it. This type of
"normalized" response measurement is independent of the type of input signal used, as long as it can be
measured and has sufficient energy to excite the structure over the frequency range of interest. Hence, a
simple excitation device such as a hammer can many times be used to measure transfer functions at a
great savings of time and money compared to attaching shakers to the structure.
Another cost advantage on the transfer function method is that the measurements can be made one at a
time. This means that a large set of measurements can be made using only one accelerometer (motion
transducer) and one load cell (force transducer), and the corresponding signal conditioning equipment.
If a shaker is used for excitation, the accelerometer is moved to each new measurement point on the
structure. If a hammer is used, the structure is impacted at each new measurement point.
Some other advantages of the transfer function method are shown in Figure 16. In general, it is easier to
make transfer function measurements on a structure than to isolate one of its modes of vibration. In
addition, once the measurement signals have been digitized and stored in the computer's memory, further
processing of the data can be performed to reduce the effects of noise and distortion. Large amounts of
data can also be stored on a mass memory device such as a magnetic disc or tape, and later recalled for
further processing. Statistical estimation algorithms which use large amounts of measurement data, can
also be used to estimate modal parameters with more accuracy.
Lastly, the mode shapes can be displayed in animation on the same equipment used to perform the
modal test. Figures 17 and 18 depict a typical modal test setup using the transfer function method, and
some typical displays of mode shapes of the test structure on the CRT of a transfer function analyzer.
Not only is the mode shape display an effective method for checking the validity of a large amount of
data, (i.e. data values in gross error are easily spotted) but the animation is also a convenient means of
locating "weak spots" or areas of overdesign in the structure.
In addition to these direct uses of modal data for problem solving purposes, it is next shown that modal
parameters are a fundamental part of a transfer function dynamic model of a structure.
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REVIEW OF MODAL ANALYSIS USING TRANSFER FUNCTIONS

Modes of vibration have already been defined in terms of the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the time
domain equations of motion. Since the transfer function method of modal testing is based upon the
measurement of frequency domain functions, it is next shown that modes of vibration can be defined by
parameters of a transfer function matrix model of the structure, which is equivalent to the time domain
model.
It should become clear from this analysis that during a typical modal test, one row or column of the
transfer matrix model is being measured, and that this is sufficient information to identify all the
parameters which define the modes of vibration. It should also become clear that a complete dynamic
model can be constructed from the modal parameters.
Time Domain Model
In a measurement situation the actual input forces and responses for a finite number of degrees-of-
freedom of the structure are measured. S 0 if a model were constructed from the measurements
involving these specific degrees-of-freedom, the model would give an accurate description of the
structural dynamics involving those points. This is a different situation than with a finite element model
where the degrees-of-freedom and the size and shape of the elements are chosen so as to approximate
the dynamics of the structure as closely as possible.
The time domain structural dynamic model, as shown in Figure 19, exhibits the same form as the finite
element model but, at least in principle, is an exact model of the structural dynamics if obtained from
measurements.
Lap1ace Domain Model.
We do not directly measure the time domain model of Figure 19, but rather its Laplace domain
equivalent, shown in Figure 20.
In this model the inputs and responses of the structure are represented by their Laplace transforms. Time
domain derivatives (i.e. velocity and acceleration) do not appear explicitly in the Laplace domain model
but are accounted for in the transfer functions. The transfer matrix contains transfer functions which
describe the effect of an input at each degree-of-freedom (D.O.F.) upon the response at each D.O.F.
Because the model is linear, the transformed total motion for any D.O.F. is the sum of each transformed
input force multiplied by the transfer function between the input D.O.F. and the response D.O.F.
For example
X1 ( s ) = h11 ( s )F1 ( s ) + h12 ( s )F2 ( s ) + ....+ h1n ( s )Fn ( s )
Transfer Function of a Single Degree-of-Freedom

The Laplace variable is a complex number, normally denoted by s = σ + jω. Since the transfer function
is a function of the s-variable, it too is complex valued. Plots of a typical transfer function on the S-
plane are shown in Figure 22. Because it is complex, the transfer function is represented by its REAL
and IMAGINARY parts or equivalently by its MAGNITUDE and PHASE. Note that in this case, the
transfer function is only plotted over half of the S-plane, i.e. it is not plotted for any positive values of σ.
This was done to give a clear picture of the transfer function values along the jω-axis. These values will
become important later in this development.
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Note also that the magnitude of the transfer function goes to infinity at two points in the S-plane. These
discontinuities are called the POLES of the transfer function. These poles define resonant conditions on
the structure which will "amplify" an input force. The location of these poles in the S-plane is defined
by a FREQUENCY and DAMPING value as shown in Figure 23. Hence the σ-axis and jω-axis of the
S-plane have become known as the damping axis and the frequency axis respectively. The frequency
and damping which define a pole in the S-plane are the frequency and damping of a mode of vibration
of the structure.
Transfer Matrix in Partial Fraction Form
The elements of the transfer matrix can be written as ratios of polynomials as shown in Figure 20. With
some minor assumptions, (explained later) the transfer matrix-can be re-written in partial fraction form
as shown in Figure 21. This form clearly shows the transfer function in terms of the parameters which
describe its pole locations, namely pk = σk + jωk. For a model with n-degrees-of-freedom, it is clear that
the transfer functions contain n-pole pairs (pk, pk*).
(* - denotes complex conjugate.) Two unique features of the partial fraction form are that all transfer
functions contain the same denominator terms involving the S-variable, and that the numerators simply
become constants (numbers), which are assembled into the RESIDUE matrix, and its conjugate matrix.
Transfer Matrix in Terms of Modal Parameters
After writing it in partial fraction form, the transfer function can be further simplified by writing the
residue matrix in terms of a MODAL VECTOR (uk ) as shown in Figure 24.
The derivation of this form is given in Refs. (1) or (2). This is a crucial step, for now we have reduced
the transfer matrix (i.e. the entire dynamic model) to a parametric form involving only modal
parameters. As stated in Figure 24 a mode of vibration is characterized by a pair of conjugate poles and
a pair of conjugate mode vectors.
Note that the unique form of the residue matrix allows the entire (n x n) matrix to be defined once the n-
dimensional mode vector is known. Furthermore since every row and column contains the mode vector
multiplied by a different component of itself, ONLY ONE ROW OR COLUMN of the residue matrix
(and hence the transfer matrix) needs to be measured in order to identify the mode vector. A 2-
dimensional case is written out in Figure 25 to illustrate this point.
The numerators of the first column of the transfer matrix are made up of the mode vector (u11, u21)
multiplied by its first component (u11), plus the conjugate mode vector (u11*, u21*)
multiplied by its first component (u11*), for mode #1. Similarly, two more terms are added for mode #2.
The denominators, which contain the pole locations (p1,p1*) and (p2, p2*), are the same for every transfer
function in the matrix.
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Modal Testing Implications

The modal testing implications of this final parametric form of the transfer function model are stated in
Figure 26.
Normally only one row or column of the transfer matrix is measured in a modal test, although multiple
row and column elements could be measured to obtain better estimates of the modal parameters. (Ref.
(4) covers this subject).
The assumptions made in order to derive the parametric form of the model are explained in more detail
in Reference (1). These assumptions can be satisfied in a large number of test situations but they must
be kept in mind during a modal test since they can be easily violated when testing complex structures.
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TRANSFER FUNCTION MEASUREMENT

In a test situation we do not actually measure the transfer function over the entire S-plane, but rather its
values along the jω-axis. These values are known as the FREQUENCY RESPONSE FUNCTION, as
shown in Figure 27. Since the transfer function is an "analytic" function, its values throughout the S-
plane can be inferred from its values along the jω-axis. More specifically, if we can identify the
unknown modal parameters of a transfer function by "curve fitting" the analytical form in Figure 21 to
measured values of the function along the jω-axis, then we can synthesize the function throughout the S-
plane.
Alternative Forms of the Frequency Response
The frequency response function, being complex valued, is represented by two numbers at each
frequency. Figure 28 shows some of the alternative forms in which this function is commonly plotted.
The so called CO-QUAD plot, or real and imaginary parts, derives its origin from the days of swept sine
testing when the real part was referred to as the COincident waveform and the imaginary part as the
QUADrature waveform. The Bode plot, or log magnitude and phase vs. frequency, is named after H.W.
Bode who made many contributions to the analysis of frequency response functions. (Many of Bode's
techniques involved plotting these functions along a log-frequency axis). The Nyquist plot, or real vs.
imaginary part, is named after the gentleman who popularized its use for determining the stability of
linear systems. The Nichols plot, or log magnitude vs. phase angle, is named after N.B. Nichols who
used such plots to analyze servo-mechanisms.
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The Measurement Process

The transfer function measurement process is depicted in Figure 29. A key step in the measurement of
the transfer function is that two signals from the structure, an input force signal and a response motion
signal, are simultaneously digitized (sampled) and stored in the computer memory. From that point on,
the measurement consists of performing mathematical operations on the digital data. The diagram in
Figure 29 is actually a much simplified explanation of the signal processing that is typically used during
transfer function measurements.
Measuring Elements of the Transfer Matrix
The simplest way of measuring elements of the transfer matrix (i.e. frequency response functions) is to
measure them one at a time, as shown in Figure 30. In this simple 2-dimensional case the frequency
response function (h11(ω)) is measured by exciting the structure at pt. #1 and measuring response at pt.
#1. Then the function is formed by dividing the Fourier transform of the measured response motion
(X1(ω)) by the Fourier transform of the measured input force (F1(ω)). Likewise the second element in
the first row (h12(ω) is measured by exciting the structure at pt. #2 and then dividing the Fourier
transform of the response motion (X1(ω)) by the Fourier transform of the input force (F21(ω)). The
second row of elements can be measured in a similar manner.
More sophisticated measurement methods involving multiple inputs and responses could be
implemented, but this simplified single, input-single output approach is most commonly used.
If time savings is a significant test objective, as it often is in larger modal tests, than test time can be
significantly reduced by measuring a single input force and several response motions simultaneously.
From this data, several transfer functions in a single column of the transfer matrix can be computed.
Typical Measurement Setups
A typical measurement setup using a shaker driven by a broadband random signal is shown in Figure 31.
This figure shows the measurement being made with a Fourier analyzer system. After the transducer
signals are amplified, via charge amplifiers they are passed through low pass anti-aliasing filters before
being digitized by the analog to digital converter (ADC) of the Fourier analyzer. Some transfer function
analyzers contain built-in anti-aliasing filters, and some modern day transducers contain built-in charge
amplifiers, which make them both more convenient to use.
The test specimen is normally mounted in a manner which allows it to vibrate freely (called a free-free
condition), or in a manner which allows it to vibrate the way it would in an actual operating
environment.
Figure 32 shows a typical test setup for transient testing. When a small hammer is used to excite the
structure as shown in the example, then a set of measurements (i.e. a row of the transfix matrix) is
normally obtained by impacting the structure at various points while measuring its response at a single
stationary point. However in other situations where the impactor cannot be easily moved, measurements
would be made in a manner similar to a shaker test.
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Digital Signal Processing Methods

Figure 33 lists some of the signal processing methods that are commonly used to improve the quality of
transfer function measurements.
Removing Noise From Measurements
Power spectrum averaging is usually done during transfer function measurement to remove extraneous
noise from the measurement. The measurement algorithm depicted in Figure 34 shows how the three
power spectrums; input auto power, output auto power, and the cross power spectrum are estimated by
way of an averaging scheme. Once enough records of data have been averaged together, the transfer
function is computed by dividing the cross power spectrum estimate by the input auto power spectrum
estimate. It can be shown that this method yields an unbiased estimate of the transfer function in the
presence of noise on the output.
The Coherence function is normally always calculated with the transfer function. As shown in Figure 34
it is computed by dividing the input and response auto power spectrums into the magnitude squared of
the cross power spectrum. The coherence function always has values in the range between 0 and 1 and
indicates, as a function of frequency, whether the response is being caused by the input (value = 1) or
not (value = 0). Values of the coherence less than 1 indicate that an amount of extraneous noise (value =
.95 implies a small amount; value = .1 implies a large amount) is being measured with the signals. Low
values of coherence usually indicate that more averaging is necessary to remove the noise from the
transfer function estimate. Low coherence values also indicated the presence of "leakage" in a
measurement. This is discussed later. Figure 35 shows how power spectrum averaging can improve a
measurement.
Removing Distortion from Measurements
Distortion, or non-linear motion, is another unwanted contaminant of vibration measurements. Since the
dynamic model upon which modal testing is based is linear, we must ensure that our measurements
accurately describe linear motion of the structure, and do not reflect any non-linear motion.
Figures 36, 37, 38, 39 and 40 show the results of measuring the transfer function of a single D.O.F.
vibrator when its response is both linear, and non-linear or distorted. The distortion was imposed by
clipping the response signal with the input amplifier to the ADC. This condition simulates the vibrator
being constrained by some kind of "hard stop" which limits its normal response to the input.
Each measurement has the transfer function magnitude of an ideal single D.O.F. vibrator superimposed
on it so the measurement can be compared with the expected linear result. The coherence function is
also plotted above each measurement.
Figure 36 shows the results of exciting the vibrator with an impulse force. As shown, the linear response
of the vibrator is indistinguishable from the ideal linear response. However,
the distorted response varies considerable from the ideal response.
Figure 37 shows the results of exciting the vibrator using a swept sine signal. As shown, the sine wave
excitation can cause a considerable amount of distortion which is reflected in a poor quality
measurement.
Figure 38 shows the results of using a pseudo random excitation signal. This type of random signal is
repeated over every period of measurement so that it is periodic in the measurement window. However
it is ineffective for handling distortion, and, as indicated, gives a very noisy measurement when the
vibrator undergoes non-linear motion.
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Figure 39 shows the measurement results when a pure random signal is used to excite the vibrator. A
pure random signal never repeats in the measurement window and therefore excites the vibrator
differently during each measurement period. If enough different power spectrum measurements are
averaged together, using the previously discussed power spectrum averaging scheme, then the distortion,
which shows up as random noise in each power spectrum, can be "averaged out" of the measurement
just like any other type of extraneous noise.
When a pseudo random excitation is used, this distortion noise cannot be averaged out since all the
power spectrums are exactly alike, i.e. they contain the same distortion components at the same
frequencies.
Although a pure random signal is good for removing distortion from a measurement it is not a periodic
signal in the measurement the window. Any signal which is not periodic in the measurement window
causes a smearing of data in the vicinity of peaks in the spectrum. This error always results when a
signal that has been truncated by the measurement window, is Fourier transformed. This smearing of the
data is called "leakage". Leakage can be considered as another form of distortion on the data. Since the
resulting transfer function waveform has been smeared during the measurement process, resonance
peaks will become broader and less peaked than they should be.
Although it appears from Figure 39 that the ideal linear waveform matches the measurement data well,
the resulting modal parameters obtained by curve fitting data with leakage in it can be in great error.
Figure 40 shows the results of exciting the vibrator with another type of random signal, called a periodic
random signal. This signal contains the desirable properties of both the pseudo random and pure
random signals, so that it removes distortion from the measurement without causing leakage.
The periodic random signal is generated as a pseudo random signal so that it is periodic in the
measurement window. However instead of continually repeating the same random sequence during each
successive measurement period, the pseudo random signal is changed to a different sequence. With this
scheme each power spectrum measurement used in the averaging process is the result of a different
random excitation just as with pure random excitation. Therefore, distortion is removed by averaging
many of these spectra together.
The only drawback of this final test method is that it is 2 to 3 times slower than either of the other
random methods, because several time windows of data must be ignored between averages in order to
allow the signals from the structure to become periodic in the measurement window.
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Increasing Measurement Resolution

Another measurement capability that is many times necessary in modal testing is to be able to obtain
more frequency resolution in the vicinity of modal peaks.
Figure 41 shows a typical "baseband" measurement over the frequency range (0 - 5 kHz). The
resolution of this measurement (i.e. frequency difference between spectral lines) is about 10 Hz. The
only way to obtain better resolution over this bandwidth is to use a larger memory, collect more data,
and compute the spectral functions using more points.
The other method for obtaining increased resolution without using more computer memory is to pass the
measurement data through a bandpass filter, and then compute its spectral functions over a smaller
frequency band with the same number of frequency lines as in the baseband case. This process of
digitally filtering the data and then transforming it to the frequency domain is known as the Zoom
transform.
Figure 41 shows a comparison of an expanded view of the baseband measurement in the vicinity of
three modes, and a Zoom measurement over the same frequency band. The Zoom measurement has ten
times the resolution of the baseband measurement and as a result gives much better definition to the
three modal peaks.
Figures 42 and 43 show the improved quality of the Zoom measurement over the baseband measurement
in both the CO-QUAD and NYQUIST forms. Figure 44 points out another advantage of the zoom
transform; that increased resolution reduces the effects of leakage in a measurement. Large dips in the
coherence function in the vicinity of modal peaks are an indication of leakage. As shown, the amount of
leakage in the zoom measurement is negligible compared to the baseband measurement.
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MODAL PARAMETER IDENTIFICATION

Once a set of transfer functions has been measured from a structure, modal parameters are identified by
"curve fitting" an ideal form for the transfer function to the measurement data.
As shown in Figure 45, at least one row or column of transfer functions from the transfer matrix must be
measured in order to identify the mode shapes. The mode shapes, or mode vectors, are then assembled
from the identified residues from each measurement at the same modal frequency. This process is
depicted in Figure 14.
Figure 46 shows a breakdown of a measurement into a summation of the contributions due to each of the
modes of vibration. That is, the magnitude of the transfer function shown by the solid line in the figure,
is really the summation of a number of magnitude functions shown by the dashed lines in the figure,
each one due to a different mode of vibration.
The modal parameters (frequency, damping and residue), of a single mode can be identified by curve
fitting the dashed line function corresponding to that mode. However, since only the solid line function
was measured, it is clear that to identify modal parameters accurately, all the parameters of all the modes
must be identified simultaneously by some method which fits a multiple mode form of the transfer
function to the data. This method is called a "multiple mode" curve fitting method.
Many times, the accuracy of a multiple mode method is not required, so simple, easier-to-use methods
known as "single mode" methods are used to identify the unknown parameters. A single mode method
treats the data in the vicinity of a modal resonance peak as if it is due solely to a single mode of
vibration. In other words the "tails" of the resonance curves from other modes are considered to have
negligible contribution to the data in the vicinity of the resonance peak in question.
The amount of error incurred with the use of single mode methods is dictated by the amount of "modal
coupling" in the measurements. Figure 48 shows cases of light and heavy modal coupling.
In a light modal coupling case the measurement data in the vicinity of a modal resonance peak is
predominantly due to that mode, and the influence of the other modes is minimal. In this case a single
mode curve fitting method can give accurate results.
In a heavy modal coupling case the influence of the tails of other modes is not negligible, so a single
mode method will incorrectly identify modal parameters.
Curve Fitting Methods
Four different approaches to curve fitting measurements can be taken, as shown in Figure 47. The first
two (single mode, and multiple mode) are applied to a single measurement at a time. The second two
methods can be used on measurements from multiple rows and columns of the transfer matrix, to obtain
better estimates of the modal parameters.
Single Mode Methods
Because of their speed and ease of use, single mode methods should be used whenever sufficiently
accurate results can be obtained.
The simplest single mode methods are shown in Figures 49 and 50. Figure 49 shows that modal
frequency is simply taken as the frequency of the peak of the transfer function magnitude. Damping can
be obtained by measuring the width of the modal peak at 70.7% of its peak value or by computing the
slope of the phase function at resonance. The first method is known as the "half power point" method
since 70.7% of the magnitude is the same as 50%, or half, of the magnitude squared.
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Finally the residue can be estimated by using the peak value of the imaginary part of transfer function at
resonance. This is known as "quadrature picking" or simply the quadrature method.
If the measurements are noisy, or if the frequency resolution is not good, all of the above methods can
yield largely incorrect results since they use only one or two data points from the measurement.
The methods shown in Figures 51 and 52 will yield better results in general, since they use more
measurement data. The method shown in Figure 51, the so called "circle fitting" method, is a way of
estimating the residue by least squared error fitting the parametric form of a circle to the measurement
data in Nyquist form. The method shown in Figure 52 is a simple complex division of one measurement
into all the other measurements in the set. The result of each divide is a complex constant in the vicinity
of a resonance. Several values over an interval of frequencies around the resonance can then be
averaged together to obtain an estimate of the residue. These methods and others are explained in more
detail in Reference (3)
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Multiple Mode Methods.

Multiple mode methods involve curve fitting a multiple mode form of the transfer function to a
frequency interval of measurement data containing several modal resonance peaks. In the process, all
the modal parameters (frequency, damping and residue) for each mode are simultaneously identified.
Figure 53 shows two different forms of the transfer function which can be used for curve fitting. If the
partial fraction form is used, the residues and poles (frequency and damping) can be identified directly
from the curve fitting process. Normally, a least squared error curve fitting procedure is used. This
yields a set of linear equations which must be solved for the residues, and a set of non-linear equations
which must be solved for the poles. An iterative method is normally used to solve these equations.
If the polynomial form of the transfer function is used, the coefficients of the numerator and
denominator polynomials are identified during curve fitting, and a root finding routine must then be
employed to find the poles, and partial fraction expansion to find the residues. The advantage of the
polynomial form, however, is that the least squared error equations are linear and thus can be solved for
the unknown polynomial coefficients by non-iterative methods.
A third method of fitting a parametric form of the impulse response function to impulse data, (obtained
by inverse Fourier transforming the transfer function data into the time domain) is also commonly used.
This method is called the Complex Exponential method or the Prony algorithm.
The impulse response can be written in terms of modal parameters as
m
x( t ) = ∑ rk e − σ k t sin e( ω k t + α k )
k =1
where: m = number of modes

σk = damping coefficient
ωk= natural frequency
| rk | = magnitude of residue
αk = angle of residue
t = time variable
This form, which can also be written as the sum of complex exponential functions, is curve fit to the
time domain data using a very efficient algorithm. (Reference -[13]).
All of these multiple mode methods will yield the same result, as shown in Figure 53; namely a list of
modal parameters identified from a particular measurement. The solid line in the transfer function plot
of Figure 53 is the ideal fit function superimposed on the data.
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Residue Sorting
Rather than simply assemble residues from one row or column of the transfer matrix into a mode vector,
residue estimates from other rows or columns of the matrix can also be used to improve the estimate of
the mode vector. This procedure is known as "residue sorting" and is discussed in detail in Reference
[4].
Multiple Row/Column Fitting
Many times modal coupling and/or noise on the measurements may
be so great that it is difficult to determine how many modes there are, or to correctly identify their
parameters from any single measurement. In these cases a curve fitting procedure that identifies modal
parameters from the entire set of measurements should be used.
The last two "multiple measurement" methods are not commonly used today, but will probably be
employed more in the future as curve fitting methods continue to improve.
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TYPICAL MODAL TESTING EQUIPMENT

Over the past 5 years a number of modal testing systems have been offered for sale by manufacturers of
digital signal processing equipment, such as Hewlett-Packard.
The first systems to be offered were of the type described in Figure 54. They are mini-computer based
systems with large data and program storage capabilities. The software capabilities offered with these
systems are quite extensive, including single and multiple mode curve fitting algorithms as well as
normal mode testing software.
More recently, smaller, cheaper and easier-to-use modal test systems, consisting of a two-channel
transfer function analyzer interfaced to a calculator with some special purpose modal software, have
appeared on the market. These systems have less measurement, data storage and analysis capability
than the minicomputer based systems, but because of their portability and ease of use, are becoming
very popular for troubleshooting problems.
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REVIEW
This paper has discussed the subject of measuring and modeling the dynamics of mechanical structures.
It was shown that the modes of vibration are not only physically observable, and thus are intuitively
understandable to most people, but they are also defined by certain fundamental parameters of a linear
dynamic model for an elastic structure.
Modes of vibration were also shown to be the link between a mathematical model developed with finite
element modeling methods, and an equivalent transfer function model, the elements of which can be
measured in a testing laboratory.
Two different methods of performing a modal test were discussed, but the emphasis in this paper was
placed on the more recently developed transfer function method, which has been applied to a much
wider variety of problems than the normal mode testing method.
In addition to the speed, low cost and versatility of the transfer function method, the capability of
displaying mode shapes in animation using this equipment has proved to be a valuable aid for quickly
evaluating test results, and in many cases for determining solutions to noise and vibration problems.
Page 50 of 46
REFERENCES
1. Richardson, M. and Potter, R., "Identification of the Modal Properties of an Elastic Structure from
Measured Transfer Function Data", 20th I.S.A., International Instrumentation Symposium,
Albuquerque, N.M., May 1974
2. Potter, R. and Richardson, M., "Mass, Stiffness, and Damping Matrices from Measured Modal
Parameters", ISA, International Instrumentation - Automation Conference, New York, N.Y., Oct.
1974.
3. Richardson, M., "Modal Analysis using Digital Test Systems", Seminar on Understanding Digital
Control and Analysis in Vibration Test Systems, Shock and Vibration Information Center
publication, Naval Research Lab. , Wash. , D.C. , May 1975
4. Richardson, M. and Kniskern, J., "Identifying Modes of Large Structures from Multiple Input and
Response Measurements", SAE Aerospace Engineering and Manufacturing Meeting Proceedings,
San Diego, 1976
5. Ramsey, K.A., "Effective Measurements for Structural Dynamics Testing", Sound and Vibration
Magazine, Part I, Nov. 1975, pp. 24-35, Part II, April 1976, pp. 18-31
6. Potter, R. , "A General Theory of Modal Analysis for Linear Systems", Shock and Vibration Digest,
Nov. 1975
7. Roth, P., "Effective Measurements Using Digital Signal Analysis", IEEE Spectrum, April 1971, pp.
62-70
8. McKinney, W., "Band Selectable Fourier Analysis", Hewlett-Packard Journal, April 1975, pp. 20-24
9. Ramsey, K.A., "Accelerometer Calibration using Random Noise and Transfer Function
Measurements", ISA 21st International Instrumentation Symposium, Phila., PA., May 1975
10. Halvorsen, W.G. and Brown, D.L., "Impulse Technique for Structural Frequency Response Testing",
Sound and Vibration Magazine, Nov. 1977, pp. 8-21
11. Richardson, M., "Fundamentals of the Discrete Fourier Transform", Sound and Vibration Magazine,
March 1978, 40-46
12. Richardson, M. and Potter, R. "Viscous vs. Structural Damping in Modal Analysis", 46th Shock and
Vibration Symposium, San Diego, CA, Oct. 1975
13. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED, "Representation and Analysis of Sonar Signals, Vol.
I: Improvements in the Complex Exponential Signal Analysis Computational Algorithm", 31 March
1970, Office of Naval Research Contract No. N00014-69-C-90315
Page 51 of 46

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Hewlett-Packard Conference for Automotive and Related Industries, Detroit, MI, October, 1978

MEASUREMENT AND ANALYSIS

MODAL TESTING METHODS

REVIEW OF MODAL ANALYSIS USING TRANSFER FUNCTIONS

Transfer Function of a Single Degree-of-Freedom

Modal Testing Implications

TRANSFER FUNCTION MEASUREMENT

The Measurement Process

Digital Signal Processing Methods

Increasing Measurement Resolution

MODAL PARAMETER IDENTIFICATION

Multiple Mode Methods.

where: m = number of modes

TYPICAL MODAL TESTING EQUIPMENT

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