General Concept and Principles of Structural Dynamics

This chapter is an overview of structural dynamics and covers the following: classification of oscillatory systems and vibration process, general provisions covering linear and nonlinear systems, stationary and nonstationary systems; conservative and nonconservative systems; generalized forces; free oscillations/vibration; forced oscillations/vibrations; dissipative system; self-oscillating/vibrating systems; and autonomous systems. Types of dynamic loads include vibration loads, impact and impulse loads, moving loads, and arbitrary loads with excitation as a force or displacement. Furthermore, the chapter discusses methods of discretization of dynamic problems, including dynamic degree of freedom, dynamic design models, generalized displacements, including how to formulate equations of motion, and vibration analysis of a single degree-of-freedom system.