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U.S. Department of Energy
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Qualification of frequency response functions using the rigid-body response

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5673928

The response of a structure at low frequencies with free boundary conditions is dominated by the rigid-body modes. The displacement shapes obtained from the low frequency values of the frequency response functions can be compared with ideal rigid-body motion to point out errors in the measurements. Insight is enhanced when the comparisons are made in the coordinate system of the measurements. Without this procedure intuition can rarely determine the proper rigid-body response at each measurement location. Typical errors identified are scaling errors, errors in location or direction, measurements with poor dynamic range and other instrumentation problems. The procedure is particularly useful when the test object is multidimensional, has a complicated geometry, has measurements in other than rectangular coordinates, and where more than one rigid-body mode is excited. It is suggested that data qualification using this method would be a useful addition to most modal tests. A least squares approach, to determine the proper rigid-body response, is reviewed and several experimental examples are given. 4 refs., 12 figs.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
5673928
Report Number(s):
SAND-87-1634C; CONF-880220-1; ON: DE88000745
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English