Multi-degree-of-freedom System Frequency Response Function Curve-fitting

By Tom Irvine
Email: tom@vibrationdata.com
January 22, 2014
______________________________________________________________________________
Variables

Excitation frequency

fr

Natural frequency for mode r

Total degrees-of-freedom

H i j (f )

The steady state displacement at coordinate i due to a harmonic force excitation

only at coordinate j

Damping ratio for mode r

i r

Mass-normalized eigenvector for physical coordinate i and mode number r

Excitation frequency (rad/sec)

Natural frequency (rad/sec) for mode r

Receptance
The steady-state displacement at coordinate i due to a harmonic force excitation only at coordinate j is

1
ir j r
H i j (f )

2
2
r 1 r
1 r j 2 r r

(1)

where

r f / f r

(2)
1

j 1
(3)

Mobility
The steady-state velocity at coordinate i due to a harmonic force excitation only at coordinate j is

1
ir j r
(f ) j
H

ij
2
2

r 1
r
1 r j 2 r r

(4)

Accelerance
The steady-state acceleration at coordinate i due to a harmonic force excitation only at coordinate
j is

1
i
r
j
r
~
H i j (f ) 2

2
2
r 1 r
1 r j 2 r r

(5)
Curve-fitting Equation
Consider that a measured receptance function is available. Estimate the number of modes N within a

H trial (f ).
selected frequency band. Form a trial function

N A

1
r
H trial (f )

2
2
r 1 r 1 r j 2 r r

(6)

Generate a set of trial functions by randomly varying the amplitudes

Ar

, natural frequencies

, and

modal damping ratios

. Initial bounds and estimates may be set for each of these parameters. Subtract
each trial function from the measured data to determine which one yields the least residual error. The
final chosen function will then yield the modal parameters.

References
1.

T. Irvine, An Introduction to Frequency Response Functions, Vibrationdata, 2000.

2.

T. Irvine, Calculating Transfer Functions from Normal Modes, Revision E, Vibrationdata, 2013.

APPENDIX A

Example

f
x3
m3

k3
k5

x2
m2

k4

k2
x1
m1
k1

Figure A-1.

A three-degree-of-freedom system is shown in Figure A-1. First, determine the displacement using the
full mode set. Then solve for two modes only. Finally solve using mode acceleration with two modes via
equation (12). Compare the results at mass 3.

The parameters are

m1

0.0895

lbf sec^2/in

m2

0.0887

lbf sec^2/in

m3

0.0770

lbf sec^2/in

k1

1.8522e+04

lbf/in

k2

0.2157e+04

lbf/in

k3

0.2270e+04

lbf/in

k4

1.9429e+04

lbf/in

k5

1.7072e+04

lbf/in

The damping is 0.05 for all modes.

The mass matrix is

0
0.0895
0
0.0887

0
0

lbf sec 2 / in

0.0770
(A-1)

The stiffness matrix is

0
20679 - 2157
- 2157 23856 - 2270

lbf / in

- 2270 19342
(A-2)

The natural frequencies are

73.639

78.277 86.476
Hz

(A-3)

The mode shapes are

 2.5194 - 1.9462 1.0190

1.7737 0.8756 - 2.7131

1.4090 2.7751 1.8167

(A-4)

Figure A-2.

The curve-fit will be performed on the H33 frequency response function.

The mass and stiffness parameters were chosen so that the modal frequencies would be closely-spaced as
a rigorous test of resolution abilities of the curve-fit method.

Figure A-3.
The H33 complex receptance FRF is shown in Figure A-3.

Figure A-4.
Three natural frequencies are estimated from the close-up view of the complex receptance function.

Figure A-5.

The curve-fitting is performed using Matlab script: mdof_frf_curvefit.m. Excellent agreement was
obtained.
A comparison of the analytic values and the numerical experiment curve-fit values are shown in the
following tables.

Table A-1. FRF Curve-Fit

Mod
e

fn(Hz)

Damping Ratio

73.29

0.0452

78.18

0.0526

86.55

0.0488

Table A-2. Natural Frequency Comparison

Mod
e

Analysis
fn(Hz)

FRF Curve-Fit
fn(Hz)

Difference

73.6394

73.29

0.5%

78.2766

78.18

0.1%

86.4757

86.55

-0.1%

Table A-3. Damping Comparison

Mod
e

Analysis
Damping Ratio

FRF Curve-Fit
Damping Ratio

Difference

0.05

0.0452

9.6%

0.05

0.0526

-5.2%

0.05

0.0488

2.4%

RFP
function [alpha,modal_par]=rfp(rec,omega,N)
%RFP Modal parameter estimation from frequency response function using
% rational fraction polynomial method.
%
% Syntax: [alpha,modal_par]=rfp(rec,omega,N)
%
% rec
= FRF measurement (receptance)
% omega = frequency range vector (rad/sec).
% N
= number of degrees of freedom.
% alpha = FRF generated (receptance).
% modal_par = Modal Parameters [freq,damp,Ci,Oi]:
%
freq = Natural frequencies (rad/sec)
%
damp = Damping ratio

10

%
Ci
= Amplitude modal constant
%
Oi
= Phase modal constant (degrees)
%
% Reference: Mark H.Richardson & David L.Formenti "Parameter Estimation
%
from Frequency Response Measurements Using Rational Fraction
%
Polynomials", 1IMAC Conference, Orlando, FL. November, 1982.
%**********************************************************************
%Chile, March 2002, Cristian Andrs Gutirrez Acua, crguti@icqmail.com
%**********************************************************************
[r,c]=size(omega);
if r<c
omega=omega.'; %omega is now a column
end
[r,c]=size(rec);
if r<c
rec=rec.';
%rec is now a column
end
nom_omega=max(omega);
omega=omega./nom_omega; %omega normalization
m=2*N-1; %number of polynomial terms in numerator
n=2*N;
%number of polynomial terms in denominator
%orthogonal function that calculates the orthogonal polynomials
[phimatrix,coeff_A]=orthogonal(rec,omega,1,m);

747344

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