Random energy flow analysis of coupled beam structures and its correlation with SEA

Energy flow analysis (EFA) method is a vibration simulation tool developed for structures under single-frequency excitation. The work described in this paper aims to extend the application of EFA to situations where structures are subject to random broadband excitations. The proposed energy formulation for beam structures under random excitations, which is based on conventional EFA, is referred to as random EFA. Due to the new capability of random EFA, a comprehensive relationship between random EFA and the widely used statistical energy analysis (SEA) method in modeling energy response as well as power flow is established. Both random EFA and SEA are utilized to model the vibration behavior of a complex planar frame structure on which random broadband forces are applied. Good correlation between energy as well as power flow solutions is demonstrated between the two methods for beam members in close proximity to the external excitations, which validates the random EFA development.