Wednesday | Salon 13 | 02:30 PM–02:50 PM
#12514, Selecting Modal Analysis Parameters
Engineers must understand a structure’s natural vibration frequencies to make sure they do not coincide with excitations. If an external vibration matches a structure’s natural vibration, resonance will occur and, if unaccounted for, can result in structural fatigue or damage. Engineers often use experimental modal testing to record a structure’s response to excitation for analysis. An experimental modal project involves several parameters that the engineer can configure ahead of time or modify after they have created the project. When defining the parameters for analysis, test engineers anticipate a series of calculations. They must determine the correct sample rate based on the highest frequency value and time data resolution, the number of samples based on duration and the sample rate, and more. They adjust values and re-calculate until the settings are valid and achieve the test objectives. This process is the industry standard. This presentation will discuss a new modal testing software’s intent-based approach to the selection process of modal analysis parameters. Rather than manually fine-tuning the parameters, the engineer defines those that represent the purpose of the modal test, such as maximum frequency of interest, oversample factor, and analysis duration. From there, the software automatically calculates the sample rate, frequency resolution and lines, and the number of samples. It also includes a frequency resolution factor that adjusts zero padding and analysis lines. This software’s approach allows the engineer to focus on the intent of the modal test and saves time during test setup. The presentation will include a discussion on the current processes of selecting modal analysis parameters and a walk-through of the software.
Ryan Quellet Vibration Research
Selecting Modal Analysis Parameters
Category
Modal Analysis & Structural Dynamics