A stiffness equation transfer method for natural frequencies of structures

A stiffness equation transfer method is proposed for obtaining vibration frequencies of structures. This method is an extension of the finite element-transfer matrix (FE-TM) method. In the present method, the transfer of state vectors from left to right in the ordinary FE-TM method is changed into the transfer of stiffness equations of every section from left to right. This method reduces the propagation of round-off errors produced in the ordinary transfer matrix method. Furthermore, the drawback that the number of degrees of freedom on the left boundary must be the same as that on the right boundary in the ordinary FE-TM method, is now avoided. Besides, this method finds out the values of the frequency by Newton-Raphson iteration method, so no plotting of the value of the determinant versus assumed frequency is necessary. An IFETM—W program based on this method for use on an IBM PC586 microcomputer is developed. Finally, numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the accuracy as well as the potential of the proposed method for free vibration analysis of structures.     

Time-dependent radiation transfer with Rayleigh scattering in finite slab media

The time-dependent radiation transfer equation in a finite plane geometry with Rayleigh scattering is studied. The traveling wave transformation is used to obtain the corresponding stationary-like equation. Pomraning-Eddington approximation is then used to find the solution. Numerical results for reflectivity at the left boundary and transmissivity from the right boundary are presented at different times. The medium is assumed to have specular-reflecting boundaries with angular-dependent externally incident flux. Two different weight functions are introduced to force the boundary conditions to fulfill.     

Combined dynamic stiffness matrix and precise time integration method for transient forced vibration response analysis of beams

A method has been developed for determining the transient response of a beam. The beam is divided into several continuous Timoshenko beam elements. The overall dynamic stiffness matrix is assembled in turn. Using Leung's equation, we derive the overall mass and stiffness matrices which are more suitable for response analysis than the overall dynamic stiffness matrix. The forced vibration of the beam is computed by the precise time integration method. Three illustrative beams are discussed to evaluate the performance of the current method. Solutions calculated by the finite element method and theoretical analysis are also enumerated for comparison. In these examples, we have found that the current method can solve the forced vibration of structures with a higher precision.     

A NOVEL TECHNIQUE FOR INVERSE IDENTIFICATION OF DISTRIBUTED STIFFNESS FACTOR IN STRUCTURES

A computational inverse technique for identifying stiffness distribution in structures is proposed in this paper using structural dynamics response in the frequency domain. In the present technique, element stiffness factors of the finite element model of a structure are taken to be the parameters, and explicitly expressed in a linear form in the system equation for forward analysis of the harmonic response of the structure. This offers great convenience in applying Newton's method to search for the parameters of stiffness factor inversely, as the Jacobian matrix can be obtained simply by solving sets of linear algebraic equation derived from the system equation. Examples of identifying stiffness factor distribution which is often related to damage in the elements of the structure are presented to demonstrate the present technique. The advantages of the present technique for inverse parameter identification problem are (1) the number of the parameters can be very large; (2) the identification process is very fast and (3) the accuracy is very high. The efficiency of the proposed technique is compared with genetic algorithms.     

Stop-pass behavior of acoustic waves in a 1D fractured system

This study examines the dispersion and the stop-pass band behavior of acoustic waves propagating across periodically spaced and non periodically spaced parallel fractures. Laboratory ultrasonic wave measurements performed on a stack of synthetic fractures (identical steel plates with roughened interfaces) and numerical propagator matrix simulations show spectra with distinct stop-pass band structures that develop with decreasing fracture stiffness. To understand the physics behind these observations, an exact dispersion equation for wave propagation through an infinite series of equally spaced fractures is derived using displacement-discontinuity boundary conditions to model the constitutive behavior of the fractures and Floquet's (Bloch's) theory for the periodic boundary conditions. Both the measured and numerically simulated stop-pass band structures show good agreement with the theoretical predictions. Furthermore, the theory reveals that the left boundary of the stop-bands contains information about the fracture stiffness, suggesting the possibility of determining the stiffness of the parallel fractures from seismic waves. This paper also discusses the effects of fractured systems with random distributions of fracture spacings and stiffnesses on the stop-pass band structures of seismic waves in fractured rock.     

Coupled flexural-torsional vibration band gap in periodic beam including warping effect

The propagation of coupled flexural-torsional vibration in the periodic beam including warping effect is investigated with the transfer matrix theory. The band structures of the periodic beam, both including warping effect and ignoring warping effect, are obtained. The frequency response function of the finite periodic beams is simulated with finite element method, which shows large vibration attenuation in the frequency range of the gap as expected. The effect of warping stiffness on the band structure is studied and it is concluded that substantial error can be produced in high frequency range if the effect is ignored. The result including warping effect agrees quite well with the simulated result.     

Vibration analysis of planar serial-frame structures

A hybrid analytical/numerical method is proposed that permits the efficient dynamic analysis of planar serial-frame structures. The method utilizes a numerical implementation of a transfer matrix solution to the equation of motion. By analyzing the transverse and longitudinal motions of each segment simultaneously and considering the compatibility requirements across each frame angle, the undetermined variables of the entire frame structure system can be reduced to six which can be determined by application of the boundary conditions. The main feature of this method is to decrease the dimensions of the matrix involved in the finite element methods and certain other analytical methods.     

Stable reformulation of transfer matrix method for wave propagation in layered anisotropic media.

The numerical instability problem in the standard transfer matrix method has been resolved by introducing the layer stiffness matrix and using an efficient recursive algorithm to calculate the global stiffness matrix for an arbitrary anisotropic layered structure. For general anisotropy the computational algorithm is formulated in matrix form. In the plane of symmetry of an orthotropic layer the layer stiffness matrix is represented analytically. It is shown that the elements of the stiffness matrix are as simple as those of the transfer matrix and only six of them are independent. Reflection and transmission coefficients for layered media bounded by liquid or solid semi-spaces are formulated as functions of the total stiffness matrix elements. It has been demonstrated that this algorithm is unconditionally stable and more efficient than the standard transfer matrix method. The stiffness matrix formulation is convenient in satisfying boundary conditions for different layered media cases and in obtaining modal solutions. Based on this method characteristic equations for Lamb and surface waves in multilayered orthotropic media have been obtained. Due to the stability of the stiffness matrix method, the solutions of the characteristic equations are numerically stable and efficient. Numerical examples are given.     

Numerical analysis of immersed finite cylindrical shells using a coupled BEM/FEM and spatial spectrum approach

This study numerically analyzes submerged cylindrical shells using a coupled boundary element method (BEM) with finite element method (FEM) in conjunction with the wave number theory, in which the spatial Fourier transform of surface velocity for cylinders is directly related to pressure in a far field. The acoustic loading is formulated using a symmetric complex matrix derived from a boundary integral equation where the symmetry is based on an acoustic reciprocal principle for surface acoustics. In this formulation the acoustic loading matrix is a large acoustic element whose degree of freedom is connected to the normal displacement of the vibrating structures. The coupled BEM/FEM equation is a banded, symmetric matrix, and thus its bandwidth can be minimized using a proper algorithm. This formulation significantly increases numerical efficiency. The computed normal velocity is thus transformed to wave number representation to examine acoustic radiation. A finite plane cylindrical shell, without attached stiffeners, and a shell with internal ring stiffeners are chosen to demonstrate the present analysis procedure. The far field pressure computed directly from the integral equation and predicted by wave number theory correlates closely with increasing vibrating frequency. Meanwhile, the influences of the internal ring structures on acoustic radiation are examined using the wave number theory, which helps in understanding how internal structures influence radiated noise.     

Triply coupled vibrational band gap in a periodic and nonsymmetrical axially loaded thin-walled Bernoulli–Euler beam including the warping effect

The propagation of triply coupled vibrations in a periodic, nonsymmetrical and axially loaded thin-walled Bernoulli–Euler beam composed of two kinds of materials is investigated with the transfer matrix method. The cross-section of the beam lacks symmetrical axes, and bending vibrations in the two perpendicular directions are coupled with torsional vibrations. Furthermore, the effect of warping stiffness is included. The band structures of the periodic beam, both including and excluding the warping effect, are obtained. The frequency response function of the finite periodic beam is simulated with the finite element method. These simulations show large vibration-based attenuation in the frequency range of the gap, as expected. By comparing the band structure of the beam with plane wave expansion method calculations that are available in the literature, one finds that including the warping effect leads to a more accurate simulation. The effects of warping stiffness and axial force on the band structure are also discussed.     

The dynamic stiffness matrix of two-dimensional elements: application to Kirchhoff's plate continuous elements

This paper describes a procedure for building the dynamic stiffness matrix of two-dimensional elements with free edge boundary conditions. The dynamic stiffness matrix is the basis of the continuous element method. Then, the formulation is used to build a Kirchhoff rectangular plate element. Gorman's method of boundary condition decomposition and Levy's series are used to obtain the strong solution of the elementary problem. A symbolic computation software partially performs the construction of the dynamic stiffness matrix from this solution. The performances of the element are evaluated from comparisons with harmonic responses of plates obtained by the finite element method.     

Rotordynamic analysis using the Complex Transfer Matrix: An application to elastomer supports using the viscoelastic correspondence principle

Numerous methods are available to calculate rotordynamic whirl frequencies, including analytic methods, finite element analysis, and the transfer matrix method. The typical real-valued transfer matrix (RTM) suffers from several deficiencies, including lengthy computation times and the inability to distinguish forward and backward whirl. Though application of complex coordinates in rotordynamic analysis is not novel per se, specific advantages gained from using such coordinates in a transfer matrix analysis have yet to be elucidated. The present work employs a complex coordinate redefinition of the transfer matrix to obtain reduced forms of the elemental transfer matrices in inertial and rotating reference frames, including external stiffness and damping. Application of the complex-valued state variable redefinition results in a reduction of the 8×8 RTM to the 4×4 Complex Transfer Matrix (CTM). The CTM is advantageous in that it intrinsically separates forward and backward whirl, eases symbolic manipulation by halving the transfer matrices’ dimension, and provides significant improvement in computation time. A symbolic analysis is performed on a simple overhung rotor to demonstrate the mathematical motivation for whirl frequency separation. The CTM?s utility is further shown by analyzing a rotordynamic system supported by viscoelastic elastomer rings. Viscoelastic elastomer ring supports can provide significant damping while reducing the cost and complexity associated with conventional components such as squeeze film dampers. The stiffness and damping of a viscoelastic damper ring are determined herein as a function of whirl frequency using the viscoelastic correspondence principle and a constitutive fractional calculus viscoelasticity model. The CTM is then employed to obtain the characteristic equation, where the whirl frequency dependent stiffness and damping of the elastomer supports are included. The Campbell diagram is shown, demonstrating the CTM?s ability to intrinsically separate synchronous whirl direction for a non-trivial rotordynamic system. Good agreement is found between the CTM results and previously obtained analytic and experimental results for the elastomer ring supported rotordynamic system.     

Identification of nonlinear multi-degree-of freedom structures based on Hilbert transformation

The modeling method and identified method adapted to multi-degree-of-freedom structures with strucrural nonlinearities are established. The component mode synthesis method is used to establish the nonlinear governing equations by extending the connected relationships. Based on the modeling method, the Hilbert transform method is applied to identify the nonlinear stiffness of multi-degree-of-freedom structures. Nonlinear analysis and identification of a typical folding wing configuration with three freeplay hinges are investigated. The nonlinear governing equation is established based on present methods and the computing results of different stiffness are checked by finite element programming. In order to illustrate the influence of the nonlinearities, the frequency response characteristics of the structure are analyzed and Hilbert transform is performed. The Hilbert transform identification method is utilized to identify the nonlinear stiffness of nonlinear hinges in the time domain and several parametric studies are performed. In addition, the comparison of response is made to illustrate the feasibility of the methods. The results show that the extending component mode synthesis method in the present work can be used to establish the governing equation with structural nonlinearities. Based on the modeling method, the Hilbert transform identified method can be extended to multi-degree-of-freedom structures accurately.     

Effective medium theory of left-handed materials

We analyze the transmission and reflection data obtained through transfer matrix calculations on metamaterials of finite lengths, to determine their effective permittivity epsilon and permeability micro. Our study concerns metamaterial structures composed of periodic arrangements of wires, cut wires, split ring resonators (SRRs), closed SRRs, and both wires and SRRs. We find that the SRRs have a strong electric response, equivalent to that of cut wires, which dominates the behavior of left-handed materials (LHM). Analytical expressions for the effective parameters of the different structures are given, which can be used to explain the transmission characteristics of LHMs. Of particular relevance is the criterion introduced by our studies to identify if an experimental transmission peak is left or right handed.     

Energy flow analysis and design sensitivity of structural problems at high frequencies

The design sensitivity formulation of an energy finite element method is presented using the direct differentiation and adjoint variable methods. The continuum method is used to derive the design sensitivity equation of the energy flow equation, whereas the discrete method is used to calculate the variation of the coupling relation. For design variables, material property, panel thickness, and structural shape are taken into account, in addition to the structural damping factor. The design variable's effect on the power transfer coefficient is discussed in detail. Even if the system matrix equation is not symmetric, the adjoint problem is solved using the same factorized matrix from response analysis. Design sensitivity results calculated from the proposed method are compared to the finite difference sensitivity results with a good agreement.     

An optimization of frame structures with exact dynamic constraints based on Timoshenko beam theory

Sensitivity analyses of eigensolutions and eigenfunctions of 3-D frame structures using the exact frequency equation from the transfer dynamic stiffness matrix that was derived on Timoshenko beam theory were developed in this paper. Based on the sensitivity data of frame structures, the minimum weight design with an exact frequency constraint can be carried out efficiently. Three examples that demonstrated the results obtained by the proposed method, are in good agreement with those computed by ANSYS.     

一维有限超晶格的电子态与透射问题的转移矩阵方法研究

采用转移矩阵方法,研究了一维有限超晶格的电子态与透射问题.计算了一维有限超晶格含单个缺陷层或少量缺陷层的透射谱和波函数,以及当电子被束缚在一维有限超晶格中电子的本征值和相应的定态本征函数.给出的方法对于研究电子通过任意排列的一维有限超晶格的输运具有普适性.     

Analysis of static and dynamic structural problems by a combined finite element-transfer matrix method

The combined use of the finite element and transfer matrix techniques (FETM) for the study of dynamic problems was proposed a few years ago, in order to overcome the large amount of computer storage and long computation time that the finite element technique often requires. In this paper some interesting applications are emphasized for both static and dynamic problems of structures. A great deal of attention has been paid to the use of shell isoparametric elements for very thin structures, where the usual numerical integration by a two-by-two Gaussian quadrature of the stiffness matrix leads to an ineffective increase of stiffness in the structure. Particularly appealing seems to be the use of quadratic shell elements in the FETM method, because even with a reduction in the total number of elements of the structure it is possible to increase the accuracy of results. Computation time is appreciably reduced by this method, because of the notable lowering of the final matrix order, the manipulation of which gives the solution of the problem. Some results for natural frequencies of a thin plate are finally presented, showing a favourable agreement with those obtained by other proposed methods.     

Finite element method for the two-dimensional atmospheric radiative transfer

The finite element method is applied to the solution of the two-dimensional atmospheric radiative transfer. The analysis is mainly focussed on the derivation of the cell or element equation. The Galerkin method and several hybrid methods using the integral and finite difference form of the radiative transfer equation are employed to obtain the cell equation. The assembled system of equations relating the radiances at the lower and upper boundary of the domain is solved by a direct method.     

Poisson-Nernst-Planck Equations for Simulating Biomolecular Diffusion-Reaction Processes I: Finite Element Solutions

In this paper we developed accurate finite element methods for solving 3-D Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) equations with singular permanent charges for electrodiffusion in solvated biomolecular systems. The electrostatic Poisson equation was defined in the biomolecules and in the solvent, while the Nernst-Planck equation was defined only in the solvent. We applied a stable regularization scheme to remove the singular component of the electrostatic potential induced by the permanent charges inside biomolecules, and formulated regular, well-posed PNP equations. An inexact-Newton method was used to solve the coupled nonlinear elliptic equations for the steady problems; while an Adams-Bashforth-Crank-Nicolson method was devised for time integration for the unsteady electrodiffusion. We numerically investigated the conditioning of the stiffness matrices for the finite element approximations of the two formulations of the Nernst-Planck equation, and theoretically proved that the transformed formulation is always associated with an ill-conditioned stiffness matrix. We also studied the electroneutrality of the solution and its relation with the boundary conditions on the molecular surface, and concluded that a large net charge concentration is always present near the molecular surface due to the presence of multiple species of charged particles in the solution. The numerical methods are shown to be accurate and stable by various test problems, and are applicable to real large-scale biophysical electrodiffusion problems.