University of Ottawa

CVG 4142
STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS

Project Report
Aoua Diallo 8795084
Jordy Alex Ntiringaniza 8883513

Due Date: April 11th,2020

Table of Content

1. Review of one research article ................................................................................................ 1

1.1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1
1.2. Background of the problem ............................................................................................. 1
1.3. Results and interpretation ................................................................................................ 2
1.4. Conclusion and point of view .......................................................................................... 3
2. Programing problem: FFT application .................................................................................... 4
2.1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 4
2.2. The MATLAB script code: ............................................................................................. 5
2.3. Discussion of results ........................................................................................................ 8
2.4. Conclusion and point of view .......................................................................................... 8
3. Programming problem: SAP application ................................................................................. 9
3.1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 9
3.2. Analysis of a cantilever beam using SAP2000 .............................................................. 10
3.3. Discussion of results ...................................................................................................... 12
3.4. Conclusion and point of view ........................................................................................ 12
4. References ............................................................................................................................. 13

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List of Figures

Figure 2.1.1 Time – Frequency Analysis ........................................................................................ 4

Figure 2.2.1 Time Domain .............................................................................................................. 6
Figure 2.2.2 Fourier Coefficients in the Complex Plans ................................................................. 6
Figure 2.2.3 Frequency dominants graph ........................................................................................ 7
Figure 2.2.4 log-log axes for the frequency dominants graph ......................................................... 8
Figure 3.1.1 Cantilever beam with a single load ............................................................................. 9
Figure 3.1.2 Cantilever beam with a uniform distributed load ...................................................... 10
Figure 3.2.1 shear force diagram of the cantilever beam .............................................................. 11
Figure 3.2.2 bending moment diagram of the cantilever beam ..................................................... 11
Figure 3.2.3 Natural frequencies thorough modal analysis .......................................................... 12

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 1. Review of one research article

1.1. Introduction

The subject developed in this article is the damping effect on vibration of bridges due to vehicle-

bridge interaction; in other words this article studies the interference between vehicles and bridges

with respect to damping effect.

This article is important because many bridges are built and allow vehicles to go from one place to

another; and the amplitude of vehicles using bridges is constantly increasing. Indeed, bridges

nowadays represent a large part of the high-speed railway and this growing amplitude translates

into a lack of space on the bridges which makes vehicle-bridge interaction very stressful. It is

therefore important to know the effects of these live loads (vehicles) on bridges in order to avoid

possible damages.

1.2. Background of the problem

In 1999, the European Rail Research Institute (ERRI) developed a method which is the only one

currently accepted in design practice, the Additional Damping Method (ADM).

This method was adopted by the Eurocode and involved simply supporting High speed railway

bridges with a running speed up to 350 km/h and spans between 5m and 30m. The Eurocode affirms

that the damping effect due to vehicle-bridge interaction depends on the bridge length. Using the

equation below, it shows that the additional damping Δζ is negligible for bridges longer than 30m.

Δζ =( 0.0187L-0.00064L^2) / (1-0.0441L-0.0044L^2+0.000255L^3)[%]

However, this method has some limitations. Indeed, this method exaggerates the reduction of the

response due to coupling. This leads to the variation of results.

This technique has proven to be ineffective because studies have shown that additional damping

also depends on the bridge’s frequency.

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Latterly a new method was developed, the Equivalent Additional Damping Approach (EADA).

This method is applied under conditions of resonance and concerns simply supported bridges. For

evaluating the additional damping, this method examines the dynamic characteristic of the vehicle.

The article paper is written in order to obtain reliable results whose concept fit for different types

of bridges. It provides an analytical framework to characterize the VBI using multi modal

estimation of additional damping and the derivation of the time varying damping matrix of the

bridge.

CONCEPTS

The perception is to develop a systematic manner to determine the damping effect for VBI using

analytical expressions of generic vehicle- bridge configurations. These include:

· Vehicle dynamics

· Bridge dynamics

· Coupled system and interaction modelling

1.3. Results and interpretation

The expressions above are reliable for several classes of bridges (single span simply supported,

multi-span continuous and more). It permits to obtain different results and statements :

• Additional damping per bridge mode

• The matrix that translates the time-varying additional damping due to coupling with the

vehicle.

• The impedance ratio affects mainly the additional damping on a bridge

Regarding the simply supported and continuous bridges (only), the study did through this article

shows that:

• Additional damping ratio decreases with the increase of modes of the bridge.

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 • The mass of the wheels of vehicles is negligible compared to the mass of the bridge.

1.4. Conclusion and point of view

The purpose of the article was to analyze the damping effect of a vehicle bridge interaction on

bridge vibration. Using the analytical approach used in the article, the results validated numerical

formulas that outperformed the current method of investing in the depreciation effect. From a

student perspective, this method emphasizes an effective and thorough method of analyzing the

damping effect by examining the vehicle bridge configuration for different classes of VBI

systems.

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 2. Programing problem: FFT application

2.1. Introduction

In the fields of communications, signal processing, and in electrical engineering more generally, a

signal is any time‐varying or spatial‐varying quantity. This variable(quantity) changes in time.

A signal has one or more frequencies in it. The frequency that carries more energy compared to

other in a spectrum, is called the dominant frequency; in order words, the frequency

corresponding to the largest amplitude.

A signal can be viewed from two different standpoints: Time domain and Frequency domain.

Figure 2.1.1 Time – Frequency Analysis

• Time domain:

Time domain analysis is analyzing the data over a time period. For civil engineering, the time

domain analysis is mainly based on the time history recorded for the loads applied to structures

and their structural response.

• Frequency Domain:

Frequency domain is a method used to analyze data. This refers to analyzing a mathematical

function or a signal with respect to the frequency.

Frequency domain analysis is mostly used to signals or functions that are periodic over time. This

does not mean that frequency domain analysis cannot be used in signals that are not periodic.

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Fourier transformation is used to convert a signal of any shaped into a sum of infinite number of

sin and cos waves. It converts a signal in the time domain to the frequency domain (spectrum).

The Fast Fourier transform (FFT) is a mathematical method for transforming a function of time

into a function of frequency. It is very useful for analysis of time-dependent phenomena.

Using MATLAB , the dominant frequency for the given excel data labelled “Question2

data.xlsx”, will be determined the script code written below:

2.2. The MATLAB script code:

[D,S] = xlsread('Question2 data.xlsx');

time = D(:,1);
x = D(:,2);

figure
plot(time,x),xlabel('time')
title('Time Domain'),axis('tight'), grid('on')
xlabel('Time'), ylabel('Amplitude');
FTx = fft(x); % Fourier Transform (Normalized)
FTx(1)=[];

figure
plot(FTx,'ro')
title('Fourier Coefficients in the Complex Plans')
xlabel('Real Axis'), ylabel('Imaginary Axis');

n=length(FTx);
power=abs(FTx(1:floor(n/2))).^2;
nyquist=1/2;
freq=(1:n/2)/(n/2)*nyquist;

figure
plot(freq,power)
title('Frequency Domain'),axis('tight'),grid('on')
xlabel('Frequency (Hz)'), ylabel('Power');

loglog(freq,power)
title('Frequency Domain'),axis('tight'),grid('on')
xlabel('Frequency (Hz)'), ylabel('Power');

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 Figure 2.2.1 Time Domain

Figure 2.2.2 Fourier Coefficients in the Complex Plans

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Figure 2.2.3 Frequency dominants graph

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 Figure 2.2.4 log-log axes for the frequency dominants graph

2.3. Discussion of results

The figure 2.2.1 represents the signal of the given data in the Time domain that shows an

oscillation of the amplitude over the time. The figure 2.2.3, that represents the signal in the

frequency domain, shows the results of the signal in terms of amplitude and magnitude which

makes it easier for people. The graph also helps to determine the frequency dominant of the

signal frequency. The frequency dominant corresponds to the peak of the power values that is

approximately 20*104 on figure 2.2.3. Using the figure 2.2.4, the range in which lays the

frequency dominant narrows compared to the figure 2.2.3, the frequency dominant appears to be

in the range between 8 and 9*10-3 Hz which is approximately 8.7*10-3 Hz.

2.4. Conclusion and point of view

The dominant frequency obtained is 8.7*10-3 Hz with a magnitude power of 20*104. In the

domain of Civil Engineering, this value will enable engineers to analyze a civil structure

subjected to vibration and prevent the worst-case scenario by establishing a maximum limit value

of magnitude. As long as the frequency obtained has a magnitude lower to the dominant

frequency’s one, the civil structure will be considered safe.

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 3. Programming problem: SAP application

3.1. Introduction

The deflection in the cantilever beam is due to bending stress, according to the classic cantilever

beam theory. The cantilever beams transfer the structural load that they face to, to the support where

a bending moment and shear stress is applied.

The ratio of beam length to beam thickness is essential in the calculation of the permissible strain.

Indeed, when the length/thickness ratio decreases then the allowable strain for the cantilever beam

increases. In general, a typical length/thickness ratio of 5.4 is used for cantilever beams. In beam

theory calculations, the ratio of stress to strain at a point on the stress-strain curve corresponding to

a strain is used instead of the elastic tangent modulus. If the elastic modulus were considered, it

would predict more flexible materials and then a deflection less than the actual deflection occurring.

In classic A cantilever beam with a single load would generate a:

Figure 3.1.1 Cantilever beam with a single load

A maximum reaction force of 𝑅𝑎 (𝑁, 𝑙𝑏) = 𝐹 and a maximum deflection in c of

𝐹𝑎3 3𝑏
𝛿𝑐,(𝑚,𝑚𝑚,𝑖𝑛) = ( )(1 + )
3 𝐸𝐼 2𝑎

While a cantilever beam with uniform distributed load will generate :

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 Figure 3.1.2 Cantilever beam with a uniform distributed load

A maximum reaction of 𝑅𝑎 (𝑁, 𝑙𝑏) = 𝑞𝐿 and the maximum deflexion in B

𝑞𝐿4
𝛿𝑐,(𝑚,𝑚𝑚,𝑖𝑛) = ( )
8 𝐸𝐼

3.2. Analysis of a cantilever beam using SAP2000

Using SAP, a vertical cantilever beam with the following properties was created : a modulus of

elasticity as 200GPa, a Poisson ratio of 0.3 , a density of material of 7,800 kg/m3 and length of

1.4 m.

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 Figure 3.2.1 shear force diagram of the cantilever beam

Figure 3.2.2 bending moment diagram of the cantilever beam

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 Figure 3.2.3 Natural frequencies thorough modal analysis

3.3. Discussion of results

The figure 3.2.1 represents the shear force diagram of the cantilever beam, it shows a non-

uniform distributed shear load with the lowest load being -0.25 N and the highest 0.21 N. The

figure 3.2.2 represents the bending moment diagram with the highest value being 0.5 N.m. The

cantilever beam was analyzed under the condition of Free vibration. That condition reflects the

frequency at which a beam oscillates when it is excited and left to vibrate. Based on the modal

analysis, the first two natural frequencies found were both of them 0.02343 KN-s2/mm. The first

values are similar as the beam has just begun to oscillate which reflects a constant oscillation and

then it will decrease eventually as it is freely vibrating.

3.4. Conclusion and point of view

The analysis of cantilever beam done through this section helped the student to understand the

oscillation of a cantilever beam under free vibration conditions and to determine the natural

frequencies using the modal analysis. This section has a lot of applications in real life problem.

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The common one would be the oscillation of a Tower Crane on a construction field subjected to

the wind force.

4. References

"Additional damping effect on bridges because of vehicle-bridge interaction." (2020). Journal of

Sound and Vibration,
<https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022460X20301255> (Apr. 9, 2020).
"Cantilever Beams - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics." (2003). Sciencedirect.com,
<https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/cantilever-beams> (Apr. 9, 2020).
"Cantilever Beams - Moments and Deflections." (2013). Engineeringtoolbox.com,
<https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/cantilever-beams-d_1848.html> (Apr. 9, 2020).
"Free vibration of cantilever beam." (n.d.). Rtlabs.nitk.ac.in,
<http://rtlabs.nitk.ac.in/?q=article/free-vibration-cantilever-beam> (Apr. 11, 2020).
Huang, W. (n.d.). "Fast Fourier Transform and MATLAB
Implementation". Personal.utdallas.edu,
<https://personal.utdallas.edu/~dlm/3350%20comm%20sys/FFTandMatLab-
wanjun%20huang.pdf> (Apr. 9, 2020).
Soutar, R. (n.d.). "What dominant frequency tells you". <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-
0QJYjBIQs> (Apr. 11, 2020).

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