Structural modification utilizing beam elements

This study presents a concept that provides a structural dynamicist the ability to analyze the effects of making sophisticated (beam-type) structural changes to a structural system whose modal database is known. The modification technique combines the Dual Modal Space Modification Method (DMSM) and the Transfer-Matrix Method to institute general beam modifications. The DMSM method is employed to implement the beamtype modification, while the transfer-matrix method is used to formulate the modification element. The use of transfer-matrix methods provides the ability to model virtually any beam modification a designer might consider in terms of the two points being connected without the loss of any dynamic information between the points. The result is a modification scheme which is both flexible and universal.

Two numerical examples are considered. One example demonstrated the performance of the modification scheme in instituting a severe structural change. The second example demonstrated a change to a complex structure. In both cases, continuum beams were used as modification elements. The results of these two examples show that the modification scheme provides very promising results, providing an adequate modal database was used. Modal truncation was determined to be the primary source of error.