Large amplitude non-linear oscillations of a general conservative system

This paper presents new, approximate analytical solutions to large-amplitude oscillations of a general, inclusive of odd and non-odd non-linearity, conservative single-degree-of-freedom system. Based on the original general non-linear oscillating system, two new systems with odd non-linearity are to be addressed. Building on the approximate analytical solutions of odd non-linear systems developed by the authors earlier, we construct the new approximate analytical solutions to the original general non-linear system by combinatory piecing of the approximate solutions corresponding to, respectively, the two new systems introduced. These approximate solutions are valid for small as well as large amplitudes of oscillation for which the perturbation method either provides inaccurate solutions or is inapplicable. Two examples with excellent approximate analytical solutions are presented to illustrate the great accuracy and simplicity of the new formulation.     

Stochastic stability of non-linear SDOF systems

A semi-analytical procedure for obtaining stability conditions for strongly non-linear single degree of freedom system (SDOF) subjected to random excitations is presented using stochastic averaging technique. The method is useful for finding stability conditions for systems having highly irregular non-linear functions which cannot be integrated in closed form to yield analytical expressions for averaged drift and diffusion coefficients. In spite of numerical methods available for finding stability of SDOF system by determining Lyapunov exponent, the proposed technique may have to be adopted (i) when the excitation is non-white; and (ii) when numerical integration fails due to convergence problem. The method is developed in such a way that it lends itself to a numerical computational scheme using FFT for obtaining numerical values of drift and diffusion coefficients of Its differential equation and the corresponding FPK equation for the system. These values of averaged drift and diffusion coefficients are then fit into polynomial form using curve fitting technique so that polynomials can be used for stability analysis. Two example problems are solved as illustrations. The first one is the Van der Pol oscillator having non-linearities which can be treated purely analytically. The example is considered for the validation of the proposed method. The second one involves non-linearities in the form of signum function for which purely analytical solution is not possible. The results of the study show that the proposed method is useful and efficient for performing stability analysis of dynamic systems having any type of non-linearities.     

Identification of stiffness, dissipation and input parameters of randomly excited non-linear systems: Capability of restricted potential models (RPM)

A dynamic identification technique in the time domain for time invariant systems under random external forces is presented. This technique is based on the use of the class of restricted potential models (RPM), which are characterized by a non-linear stiffness and a special form of damping, that is a product of the input power spectral density (PSD) matrix and the velocity gradient of a non-linear function of the total mechanical energy. By applying stochastic differential calculus and by specific analytical manipulations, some algebraic equations, depending on the response statistics and on the mechanic parameters that characterize RPM, are obtained. These equations can be used for the dynamic identification of the above mechanic parameters once the response statistics of the system to be identified are evaluated. The proposed technique allows one to identify single-degree-of-freedom or multi-degrees-of-freedom systems in the case of unmeasurable input. Further, the probabilistic characteristics of the external forces can be completely estimated in terms of PSD matrix.     

Transmissibility of non-linear output frequency response functions with application in detection and location of damage in MDOF structural systems

Transmissibility is a well-known linear system concept that has been widely applied in the diagnosis of damage in various engineering structural systems. However, in engineering practice, structural systems can behave non-linearly due to certain kinds of damage such as, e.g., breathing cracks. In the present study, the concept of transmissibility is extended to the non-linear case by introducing the Transmissibility of Non-linear Output Frequency Response Functions (NOFRFs). The NOFRFs are a concept recently proposed by the authors for the analysis of non-linear systems in the frequency domain. A NOFRF transmissibility-based technique is then developed for the detection and location of both linear and non-linear damage in MDOF structural systems. Numerical simulation results verify the effectiveness of the new technique. Experimental studies on a three-storey building structure demonstrate the potential to apply the developed technique to the detection and location of damage in practical MDOF engineering structures.     

A study of main and secondary resonances in non-linear multi-degree-of-freedom vibrating systems

A uniform study of all types of resonances that can occur in non-linear, dissipative multi-degree-of-freedom systems subject to sinusoidal excitation is presented. The theoretical investigation is based on a harmonic or multi-harmonic solution and the Ritz method. The new approach suggests that non-linear normal mode shape or the so-called “coupled” non-linear mode shapes are those which are retained in resonance conditions, no matter what type of resonancemain, or secondary, periodic or almost-periodic.

By introducing the concept of non-linear normal coordinates the response of an n-degree-of-freedom system is described, to a satisfactory degree of accuracy, by a single coordinate in the case of main or secondary-periodic resonance, or by p coordinates in the case of almost-periodic (combination) resonance with p harmonic components.

Numerical examples indicate good agreement of theoretical and analog computer results and illustrate considerable discrepancies between resonance curves calculated by the commonly used “single linear mode approach” and the suggested “single non-linear mode approach”.     

Application of vector-valued rational approximations to a class of non-linear oscillations

By combining a perturbation technique with a rational approximation of vector-valued function, we propose a new approach to non-linear oscillations of conservative single-degree-of-freedom systems with odd non-linearity. The equation of motion does not require to contain a small parameter. First, the Lindstedt-Poincare perturbation method is used to obtain an asymptotic analytical solution. Then the range of validity of the analytical representation is extended by using the vector-valued rational approximation of functions. For constructing the rational approximations, all that is needed is the coefficients of the perturbation expansion being considered. General approximate formulas for period and the corresponding periodic solution of a non-linear system are established. Two examples are used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Resonant non-linear normal modes. Part I: analytical treatment for structural one-dimensional systems

Approximations of the resonant non-linear normal modes of a general class of weakly non-linear one-dimensional continuous systems with quadratic and cubic geometric non-linearities are constructed for the cases of two-to-one, one-to-one, and three-to-one internal resonances. Two analytical approaches are employed: the full-basis Galerkin discretization approach and the direct treatment, both based on use of the method of multiple scales as reduction technique. The procedures yield the uniform expansions of the displacement field and the normal forms governing the slow modulations of the amplitudes and phases of the modes. The non-linear interaction coefficients appearing in the normal forms are obtained in the form of infinite series with the discretization approach or as modal projections of second-order spatial functions with the direct approach. A systematic discussion on the existence and stability of coupled/uncoupled non-linear normal modes is presented. Closed-form conditions for non-linear orthogonality of the modes, in a global and local sense, are discussed. A mechanical interpretation of these conditions in terms of virtual works is also provided.     

Macroscopical non-linear material model for ferroelectric materials inside a hybrid finite element formulation

A new approach for modeling hysteretic non-linear ferroelectric ceramics is presented, based on a fully ferroelectric/ferroelastic coupled macroscopic material model. The material behavior is described by a set of yield functions and the history dependence is stored in internal state variables representing the remanent polarization and the remanent strain. For the solution of the electromechanical coupled boundary value problem, a hybrid finite element formulation is used. Inside this formulation the electric displacement is available as nodal quantity (i.e. degree of freedom) which is used instead of the electric field to determine the evolution of remanent polarization. This involves naturally the electromechanical coupling. A highly efficient integration technique of the constitutive equations, defining a system of ordinary differential equations, is obtained by a customized return mapping algorithm. Due to some simplifications of the algorithm, an analytical solution can be calculated. The automatic differentiation technique is used to obtain the consistent tangent operator. Altogether this has been implemented into the finite element code FEAP via a user element. Extensive verification tests are performed in this work to evaluate the behavior of the material model under pure electrical and mechanical as well as coupled and multi-axial loading conditions.     

Harmonic wavelets based response evolutionary power spectrum determination of linear and non-linear oscillators with fractional derivative elements

A harmonic wavelets based approximate analytical technique for determining the response evolutionary power spectrum of linear and non-linear (time-variant) oscillators endowed with fractional derivative elements is developed. Specifically, time- and frequency-dependent harmonic wavelets based frequency response functions are defined based on the localization properties of harmonic wavelets. This leads to a closed form harmonic wavelets based excitation-response relationship which can be viewed as a natural generalization of the celebrated Wiener–Khinchin spectral relationship of the linear stationary random vibration theory to account for fully non-stationary in time and frequency stochastic processes. Further, relying on the orthogonality properties of harmonic wavelets an extension via statistical linearization of the excitation-response relationship for the case of non-linear systems is developed. This involves the novel concept of determining optimal equivalent linear elements which are both time- and frequency-dependent. Several linear and non-linear oscillators with fractional derivative elements are studied as numerical examples. Comparisons with pertinent Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate the reliability of the technique.     

Efficient analysis of large-scale structural problems with geometrical non-linearity

The paper presents an efficient methodology for the analysis of large-scale structural problems with geometrical non-linearity. A finite element based tool is developed, taking advantage of the analytical formulation of the stiffness matrix of a beam element, which is explicitly separated in linear and non-linear terms. The methodology proposes the substitution of the typical Newton-type non-linear analysis procedure, by a series of incremental linear analyses and a set of ‘fictitious’ forces, replacing the non-linear effect. The proposed technique is demonstrated in several structural problems that exhibit geometrical non-linear behaviour, with satisfactory results. The method’s advantages on the analysis of large-scale non-linear problems are discussed, as well as the limitations and the further development that is required.     

Modulation instability of electrohydrodynamic waves on liquid jet

An analytical study of slow modulation has been made of cylindrical interface between two inviscid streaming fluids, in the presence of a relaxation of electrical charges at the interface, and stressed by an axial electric field. A new technique based on the perturbation theory, to derive the non-linear evolution equations has been introduced. These equations are combined to yield a non-linear Ginzburg–Landau equation and a non-linear modified Schrödinger equation describing the evolution of wave packets. The linear analysis showed that the streaming has a destabilizing effect and the electric field has stabilizing influence associated with parameters condition involving the electric conductivity and permittivity of the fluids. While the non-linear approach indicated that the streaming may become unstable for sufficiently high velocities, with a new condition on the material properties, involving weak electric relaxation times in both fluids.     

Residue harmonic balance approach to limit cycles of non-linear jerk equations

A residue harmonic balance is established for accurately determining limit cycles to parity- and time-reversal invariant general non-linear jerk equations with cubic non-linearities. The new technique incorporates the salient features of both methods of harmonic balance and parameter bookkeeping to minimize the total residue. The residue is separated into two parts in each step; one conforms to the present order of approximation and the remaining part for use in the next order. The corrections are governed by a set of linear ordinary differential equations that can be solved easily. Three specific cases of non-linear jerk equations are given to illustrate the validity and efficiency. The approximations to the angular frequency and the limit cycle are obtained and compared. The results show that the approximations obtained are in excellent agreement with the exact solutions for a wide range of initial velocities. The new technique is simple in principle and can be applied to other non-linear oscillating systems.     

On the methods of non-linear analysis of dynamical systems

This paper is concerned with the methods of non-linear analysis of dynamical systems and the associated bifurcation and stability problems. Attention is focused on the intrinsic harmonic balancing (IHB) technique, and the interrelationship between this technique and the methods of normal forms and averaging. Recent improvements and a complex formulation of the technique, which facilitates comparisons with other methods, are described. Thus, it is demonstrated that the simplified equations of an autonomous system, obtained by both the IHB and averaging techniques are identical, and these equations are, in fact, normal forms. Hilbert's 16th problem is analyzed as an illustrative example. It is observed that the IHB technique lends itself to a symbolic computer language (MAPLE) more efficiently compared to other methods; furthermore, its efficiency increases with the complexity of the system analyzed.     

Large free vibrations of a beam carrying a moving mass

The focus of this work is to develop a technique to obtain numerical solution over a long range of time for non-linear multi-body dynamic systems undergoing large amplitude motion. The system considered is an idealization of an important class of problems characterized by non-linear interaction between continuously distributed mass and stiffness and lumped mass and stiffness. This characteristic results in some distinctive features in the system response and also poses significant challenges in obtaining a solution.

In this paper, equations of motion are developed for large amplitude motion of a beam carrying a moving spring–mass. The equations of motion are solved using a new approach that uses average acceleration method to reduce non-linear ordinary differential equations to non-linear algebraic equations. The resulting non-linear algebraic equations are solved using an iterative method developed in this paper. Dynamics of the system is investigated using a time-frequency analysis technique.     

Numerical integration of the shallow water equations over a sloping shelf

A finite-difference method is described for the numerical integration of the one-dimensional shallow water equations over a sloping shelf that allows for a continuously moving shoreline. An application of the technique is made to the propagation of non-breaking waves towards the shoreline. The results of the computation are compared with an evaluation based upon an exact analytical treatment of the non-linear equations. Excellent agreement is found for both tsunami and tidal scale oscillations.     

Accurate analytical perturbation approach for large amplitude vibration of functionally graded beams

The present work derives the accurate analytical solutions for large amplitude vibration of thin functionally graded beams. In accordance with the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory and the von Kármán type geometric non-linearity, the second-order ordinary differential equation having odd and even non-linearities can be formulated through Hamilton's principle and Galerkin's procedure. This ordinary differential equation governs the non-linear vibration of functionally graded beams with different boundary constraints. Building on the original non-linear equation, two new non-linear equations with odd non-linearity are to be constructed. Employing a generalised Senator–Bapat perturbation technique as an ingenious tool, two newly formulated non-linear equations can be solved analytically. By selecting the appropriate piecewise approximate solutions from such two new non-linear equations, the analytical approximate solutions of the original non-linear problem are established. The present solutions are directly compared to the exact solutions and the available results in the open literature. Besides, some examples are selected to confirm the accuracy and correctness of the current approach. The effects of boundary conditions and vibration amplitudes on the non-linear frequencies are also discussed.     

Response probability density functions of strongly non-linear systems by the path integration method

The paper discusses challenges in numerical analysis and numerical/analytical results for strongly non-linear systems—systems with “signum”-type non-linearities. Such non-linearities are implemented for instantaneous variations of the systems’ parameters, to reduce their mean energy response when subjected to random excitations. Numerical results for displacement and velocity response probability density functions (PDFs), energy response PDFs and various order moments are obtained by the path integration technique. Attention is also given to evaluation of mean upcrossing rate, related to the system's half period, via Rice's formula informally applied to discontinuous response PDFs.     

An analytical approximate technique for a class of strongly non-linear oscillators

An analytical approximate technique for large amplitude oscillations of a class of conservative single degree-of-freedom systems with odd non-linearity is proposed. The method incorporates salient features of both Newton's method and the harmonic balance method. Unlike the classical harmonic balance method, accurate analytical approximate solutions are possible because linearization of the governing differential equation by Newton's method is conducted prior to harmonic balancing. The approach yields simple linear algebraic equations instead of non-linear algebraic equations without analytical solution. With carefully constructed iterations, only a few iterations can provide very accurate analytical approximate solutions for the whole range of oscillation amplitude beyond the domain of possible solution by the conventional perturbation methods or harmonic balance method. Three examples including cubic-quintic Duffing oscillators are presented to illustrate the usefulness and effectiveness of the proposed technique.     

Survival probability of non-linear oscillators subjected to broad-band random disturbances

An analytical method is developed for examining the first-passage problem formulated in context with the response of a class of lightly damped non-linear oscillators to broad-band random excitations. A circular (E-type) barrier is considered. The amplitude of the oscillator response is modeled as a Markovian process. This modeling leads to a backward Kolmogorov equation which governs the evolution of the survival probability of the oscillator. The Kolmogorov equation is solved approximately by using the Galerkin technique and a perturbation technique. A set of confluent hypergeometric functions are used as an orthogonal basis for the expansions which are involved in the application of the Galerkin technique and the perturbation technique. The proposed method is exemplified by considering the response of the classical Van der Pol oscillator to white noise excitation. The reliability of the derived analytical solution is assessed by comparison with digital data obtained by a Monte Carlo simulation.