Professional Documents
Culture Documents
NOW TRENDING:
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
HOME
CONTACT US
INDEX
FREE HANDBOOK
Download our free
Noise & Vibration
Handbook. Find out
More
A SIMPLE FREQUENCY
RESPONSE FUNCTION
James Wren | October 19, 2009 | signal processing, Top Ten Articles
ADVERTISEMENT
FREE HANDBOOK
DOWNLOAD
FREE
DOWNLOAD
Noise &
Vibration
Measurement
Handbook
1/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
Y (f )
X(f )
CONNECT WITH US
H 1(f ) =
S xy (f )
S xx (f )
2/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
H 2(f ) =
S yy (f )
S yx (f )
Figure 1: X(t)
In this case the response or output would be the accelerometer,
as shown in Figure 2.
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
3/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
Figure 2: Y(t)
However as discussed earlier the frequency response function is
a frequency domain analysis, therefore the input and the output
to the system must also be frequency spectra. So the force and
acceleration must be first converted into spectra.
The first part of the analysis requires the Cross Spectral Density
of the input and output, this is Sxy (f ) . This is calculated using
the response as the first input and the excitation as the second
input to the Cross Spectral Density Analysis in DATS the result is
shown in Figure 3. Were Ssy (f ) being calculated for use with
H 2(f )
and the response the second input to the Cross Spectral Density
Analysis in DATS.
Figure 3: Sxy(f)
Next the Auto Spectral Density of the input, or excitation signal is
required. This is calculated using the Auto Spectral Density
Analysis in DATS, this analysis is sometimes known as Auto
Power, the result of which is shown in Figure 4, this is Sxx (f ) .
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
4/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
Figure 4: Sxx(f)
The Cross Spectrum is then divided by the Auto Spectrum and
the resulting frequency response function is shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5: H1(f)
The response function would normally be shown in modulus &
phase form as shown in Figure 6.
5/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
Bio
Latest Posts
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
6/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
JAMES WREN
Application Engineer & Sales Manager at Prosig
47 COMMENTS
Ken
Reply
Hello,
Normally people don't expect to see an Autospectrum, or
Power Spectral Density on a linear scale, and it looks so
noisy, that I suspect the impact was recorded using a
Hanning weighting - a common mistake.
The end result, - the transfer function is also odd, to my
eyes.
I would have expected a bode plot.
I am aware that linear display is useful for fatigue and stress
purposes, but the frequency range is too high for this to be
the application.
James Wren
Reply
Hi Ken,
Thanks for posting on our blog.
I'd like to respond to your points if I may.
I understand your point of view, the Power Spectral Density
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
7/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
Eapen
Reply
James Wren
Reply
Hello Eapen,
I'm not sure anything can be inferred from Figure 5, it simply
shows the Frequency Response Function for this particular
test.
kiran
Reply
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
8/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
James Wren
Reply
Hi Kiran,
Thanks for asking a question on our blog.
This conversion is one of the fundamental laws of Newtons
physics.
It is possible to convert from Acceleration to Velocity to
Displacement using calculus, specifically integration.
Our Prosig software performs this conversion in an
advanced fashion to take account of the constant and
remove this error from the results.
You should keep in mind that the original time series is
required for this conversion.
If you would like to discuss this feature further please feel
free to contact us directly.
Paul
Reply
Hi
Just say you have several accelerometers on a complex
vibrating structure. Each accelerometer has a slightly
different frequency spectrum. Lets also pretend that you
have a mic at some distance from this vibrating structure,
and that you are trying to locate the particular component or
part of the structure that is responsible for a radiating a
particular tonal frequency. Would the cross spectrum be
valuable in identifying which accelerometer is the culprit of
this offending sound?
Many thanks
James Wren
Reply
Hello Paul,
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
9/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
Andy
Reply
10/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
James Wren
Reply
Hi Andy,
Thanks for asking a question on our blog.
I think there is some difference between your question and
Pauls.
In Pauls case the vibration responses are all related.
In your case they are not.
Therefore the same analysis would not apply.
I think you are trying to find which drum gives a certain
frequency response when hit. The easiest thing to do would
be to use a microphone, mounted about the drums and hit
each drum in sequence. Starting and stopping a data capture
for each drum. Then simply frequency analyse each of these
data captures. You might need to do it several times to build
up an average for each drum as you may hit it differently
each time.
This will give you the full frequency spectrum for each drum.
You wouldn't need any accelerometers at all.
Andy
Reply
James Wren
Reply
Hi Andy,
Thanks for the additional information, but I still don't
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
11/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
Ashujc
Reply
May 4, 2011
James Wren
May 5, 2011
Reply
Hello Ashujc,
Thanks for asking a question on our blog.
An engine order is really two separate words,
'engine' and 'order'
Engine is obvious but 'order' not so.
You could have an order of anything that rotates,
not just an engine. For example wind mill blades
have their own orders.
An order is the speed that something happens at.
So if a shaft is rotating at 100 times per second
you would have a fundamental frequency of
100Hz. If there were two blades on opposite sides
of the shaft somewhere long it's length, this shaft
they would be causing an excitation or noise at
200Hz because there is two of them. You could
say the noise from the blades is a 2nd order noise
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
12/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
Ya Huang
Reply
James,
Thanks for a clear example.
Would be more useful if you could publish the parameters
used by DATS.
e.g.
Sampling rate:
Anti-aliasing filter:
Number data in each FFT:
Windowing:
Ya
James Wren
Reply
Hello Ya Huang,
Thank you for your feedback.
We wanted to keep the article as simple as possible, so we
have kept away from any specific numbers and data, just the
main principles.
If you would like to discuss in further detail, please feel free
to contact us directly.
Steve
Reply
Hi James,
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
13/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
James Wren
Reply
Hello Steve,
Thank you for asking a question on our blog.
You have closely studied figure-6, which is good to read.
In figure-6 the CSD (Cross Spectral Density) is divided by the
ASD (Auto Spectral Density). The CSD is a complex number,
the ASD in a real number.
Any mathematics that involve a complex number will result
in a complex answer, so the answer will have both a real and
imaginary part or expressed differently a modulus and
phase.
For example.
Where the CSD is represented by A+ iB, where A is the real
part and iB the imaginary part.
And where the ASD is represented by C, where C is real.
The formula in figure-6 would be,
(A+iB) / C
Which is exactly equal to
A/C + i(B/C)
If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask.
Stuart
December 3, 2011
Reply
I'm reading this because I've just been sent a newsletter that
points to the page.
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
14/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
James Wren
December 5, 2011
Reply
Hello Stuart,
Thank you once again for your comments.
First of all I can only comment on the software we produce
at Prosig and the methods we would recommend.
This article is intended to give a basic understanding of the
concept of what we call Hammer Impact tests or you refer to
as Tap tests.
For Hammer Impact Analysis we do not use or suggest
overlapping segments, we would indeed suggest this is an
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
15/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
incorrect method.
So I agree with your points, it is just you have assumed we
use a method we do not use or recommend.
Our Hammer Impact software uses a Wizard to set-up the
sample rates and durations to match exactly. The data is
then processed as one entire block, including a pre-trigger. A
force block and response block, having had force and
response windows applied.
Thanks again for your comments.
Umar Butt
Reply
Hi,
I have done FFT analysis on mild steel beam of 1 meter
length and I was looking frequecy of mild steel on first three
modes. After performing the test I have got auto spectrum
input response graph and frequency
response(response,force)input (magnitude) working graph.
which graph is best to consider for the frequency?
Umar.
James Wren
Reply
Hello Umar,
Thank you for asking a question on our blog.
You question is quite straight forward.
You should have a frequency response curve from each of
your accelerometers, these should give you a basic idea of
how the structure is behaving.
If you want to understand further then I would recommend
the output over input method as detailed in the article.
If you have further questions, please ask.
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
16/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
Umar Butt
Reply
Hi,
Thanx for the reply, I just want to ask that what is the
difference between Autospectrum response graph and
Frequency response graph because they are giving same
results.. and how can i find the length/breadth ratio against
frequency plot, of a rectangular beam with the length= 1m
and breadth= 0.039m.
Umar.
James Wren
Reply
krishna
Reply
Hi,
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
17/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
Is there any way to estimate frf only from output data. Say, I
have accelerometer output for vibration of a bridge under
traffic etc over a period of time. Can I generate frf without
knowing force.
Thanks a million,
Krishna
James Wren
Reply
Hello Krishna,
Thank you for asking a question on our blog.
A frequency response function is a measure of an output of
a system in response to a given input.
So in short no, you can not use only responses to create an
FRF as detailed above. You can however calculate the
Transmissibility between several accelerometers if you
define one of them as a reference.
But it depends on your objectives and w hat your trying to
achieve.
Nikk
July 6, 2012
Reply
Hi James,
Let's say I plan to perform a modal test on a quite complex
test article. For this test, I will have 20 accelerometers
scattering around the test article. Now, if I selected one
location to hit with an instrumented hammer to excite the
modes. Based on your explanation about the FRF, in this
example, I would have 20 FRFs generated by DAT (each FRF
represents the response relationship between the impact
point with respect to one of 20 response points where the
accelerometers are located). Now, my question is: "Can the
resonance frequencies of the test article be identified by
examining the modulus & phase plots of the FRFs?". If yes,
then how to identify those resonance frequencies?. Thanks.
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
18/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
James Wren
July 9, 2012
Reply
Hi Nikk,
Thank you for asking a question on our blog, it is
always good to talk to people who are performing
tests, 'at the coal face' we say.
Yes your correct, if your using uni-axis
accelerometers and you do as described you will
have 20 frequency response functions. I would
suggest that the impact point be near or on one
of the accelerometers, but you do not have to do
this.
Yes, your right from the Modulus and Phase plots
of the FRF's you will be able to identify the
frequencies of the resonances.
As a rough rule a resonance will show itself as a
peak in the Modulus plot and as a flip of the angle
in the Phase plot.
Nikk
Reply
James,
Thanks for the response. I have 2 more
questions for you:
1) You said: "as a rough rule, a
resonance will show itself as a peak in
the Modulus plot and as a flip of the
angle in the Phase plot". According to
this sentence and after looking at the
sample Modulus/Phase Angle plots in
Figure 6 posted on your blog above, the
Modulus plot has many peaks and the
Phase Angle plot has many flipped
points (0 to 180 degrees), so how do I
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
19/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
James Wren
July 11,
2012
Reply
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
20/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
rummy
Reply
Hi James:
This is great! I actually need to calculate the FRF for an
experiment. I have the excitation acceleration signal and an
acceleration response singnal in time domain. I am new to
signal processing and would like to know in detail about the
meaning and numerical computation of auto and cross
spectrum in order to compute the FRF. I hope you could
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
21/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
James Wren
Reply
Hello Rummy,
Thank you for asking a question on our blog.
To compute the FRF (Frequency Response
Function) in your case is quite simple,
Step 1
You convert your time series signals to the
frequency domain using an FFT algorithm
Step 2
You divide the response signal by the excitation
signal
You then have your resultant FRF
You mention Auto Spectra and Cross Spectra, you
could use the following method,
Step 1
Calculate the Cross Spectra of the Excitation and
Response
Step 2
Calculate the Auto Spectra of the Excitation
Step 3
Divide the Cross Spectra by the Auto Spectra
You then have your resultant FRF
In our Prosig DATS software we have a simple
function that takes a time series or a frequency
spectra excitation and response and produces the
FRF for you.
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
22/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
rummy
Reply
hey thanks James. I think I have some good initial idea now
to build upon. Cheers!
Reply
Adrian Lincoln
Hi David,
First of all can I ask if you are measuring forces or
just responses? Also do you know if the input
signals(forces) are independent from one
another? (If they are independent then the
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
23/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
dva2tlse
Reply
Hi Adrian,
thank's a lot for having spent some time with my question.
As an answer to your first question, please take in account
that I am stress analyst, thus the data I'm interested in is
neither forces nor displacement responses, but stresses. But
our stress analysis software knows how to convert
displacement responses towards stresses.
Secondly, the sources acting on my structure are not
completely independent; they are aerodynamic noises on
different parts of a same structure. It is an aircraft
component which size is slightly smaller than a meter, and
six micros have been fixed on it during the wind tunnel tests,
in order to measure the input PSD's.
If I call Sa(w) the input PSD (in Pa/Hz since it is that of an
acoustic pressure),
and Sj(w) the output PSD, (in MPa/Hz since it is that of a
mechanical stress),
and Hja(w) the transfer function from the pressure towards
the stress at rotating frequency w :
Then for each w, Sj(w)=|Hja(w)|.Sa(w)
And I am interested in the RMS value of that stress over a
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
24/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
JayW
Reply
25/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
James Wren
April 2, 2013
Reply
Hi Jay,
Thanks for asking a question on our blog, it
sounds like you have an interesting application.
We understand the restraints your working too,
things in life are never simple and never have
easy to follow guidelines.
1,
Yes, you could drop the steel ball on to the
accelerometer, but I thought you said you could
not attach an accelerometer to the structure? I
would have thought if you could attach an
accelerometer and drop a ball on it, you could
use a very small and light force hammer. But the
accelerometer method is fine if that is all you can
do, maybe there is some practical restrictions
that mean you can't perform the test exactly how
you would like to.
2,
There is no issue with the type of data, however
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
26/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
JayW
Reply
April 3, 2013
James Wren
2013
April 3,
Reply
Hi Jay,
Thank you for coming back to us
and asking another question.
I understand, thank you for the
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
27/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
clarification.
In short no, you can not do that.
You have to measure the
excitation into the structure, not
the input into another structure.
For example if you put the
accelerometer on a solid rock
and dropped the ball bearing on
it, then put the same
accelerometer on a fluffy pillow
and dropped the same ball over
the same distance on the
accelerometer, you would not
see the same duration or
magnitude response on the
accelerometer. In short the input
into the structure would be
different.
I would suggest the best solution
for you might be OMA or
Operational Modal Analysis.
Often when people are
discussing hammer impact
testing they incorrectly refer to
hammer impact tests as modal
analysis, it is not.
In any case you could place the
structure on a shaker table and
then use that shaker control
signal as your input, then use the
selected sensor to measure the
displacement as a number of
points on the structure.
Please let us know if you have
further questions at all.
rummy
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
Reply
28/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
Hi James:
I have a question related to FRF computation for transient
input-output signals. Would it be OK to compute the FRF of a
system by only considering a certain transient region,
instead of the entire time-history (i.e, before the signals die
out) ?
Thanks and regards
James Wren
Reply
Hi Rummy,
Thanks for asking another question on our blog.
The short answer is No it would not be OK to only
consider the transient region.
The long answer is that you should not do this
because the definition of a transfer function is
that your measuring the input and output to a
mechanical system. There will be a phase delay in
that system. Thus if you end the time series too
early, you may miss part or all of the response,
and thus the frequency response function would
be based on partial and incomplete data.
This is not the only reason that you should
analyse the entire time series, but it is the main
reason.
From a signal processing point of view the time
series signals should be zero at the start and zero
at the end. If they are not you will get noise at
every frequency of the frequency response
function. To get around this windowing is often
used to attenuate the responses down to zero by
the end of the time series if they are not there
already.
I hope this helps and is clear.
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
29/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
Prasad
Reply
February 8, 2014
Hi James,
I,m new to signal processing. I would like to know how you
calculate the dynamic stiffness,Kd from this curve. How
would you calculate the Kd at any random point on this
curve other than peak responses.
Suppose I'm plotting an FRF graph taking magnitude(0120db) on Y-axis and frequency(0-600Hz) on X-axis. I would
like to calculate dynamic stiffness,Kd using this graph using
least square method, rms method, average method.
Also how it differs if it is undamped,underdamped,critical
damped,overdamped structure. How to change the
spring/bush stiffness values using damping values.
It will be of much help if you can explain this in a simple way
with the formula used for calculating the above.
Thanks and regards
Prasad
February 8, 2014
Reply
Hi James,
I have forget to say that I'm interested in acceleration as
output response and accelerance(acceleration/force) as the
magnitude on the Y-axis.
James Wren
Reply
Hello Prasad,
Thank you asking some questions on our blog.
You certainly are asking a lot on quite a broad
subject. I think your requests might well be
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
30/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
Mohammed
Reply
31/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
James Wren
Reply
Hello Mohammed,
Thank you for posting some questions on our
blog.
We will try to answer your questions as best we
can.
1,
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
32/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
LEAVE A REPLY
Enter your comment here...
NEWS
PROSIG JOIN
SOUND,
SOUND,
SOUND,
SOUND,
PROSIG AT
CONDITION
VIBRATION &
VIBRATION &
VIBRATION &
VIBRATION &
AUTOMOTIVE
MONITORING
ACOUSTICS
ACOUSTICS
ACOUSTICS
ACOUSTICS
TESTING EXPO
GROUP
DIGEST #5
DIGEST #4
DIGEST #3
DIGEST #2
2014 CHINA
LIMITED
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
33/34
3/9/2014
What is a frequency response function (FRF)? | Prosig Noise & Vibration Blog
COPYRIGHT 2014 PROSIG NOISE & VIBRATION BLOG. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
HOME
CONTACT US
INDEX
http://blog.prosig.com/2009/10/19/a-simple-frequency-response-function/
34/34