GT STRUDL

Transient Loading Commands

2.4.4.4 Transient Loading Commands

The transient loading commands are used to describe a transient load on the structure.
The resulting dynamic analysis is either performed using mode superposition analysis or a
direct integration (physical) analysis.

2.4.4.4.1 Transient Loading Identification Command

General Form:

TRANSIENT ( LOADING )

( title)

Elements:
i

unique integer loading condition identifier

unique alphanumeric loading condition identifier (up to 8 characters)

title =

optional loading condition title (up to 64 characters)

Explanation:
This command identifies a transient loading condition and initiates its
description. The commands used to specify the transient loading condition are
contained in the following section.

V3

2.4.4 - 1

Rev P

Transient Loading Commands

GT STRUDL

2.4.4.4.2 Transient Joint Loads

General Form:
JOINTS

FORCE
list ( LOADS )

NODES

MOMENT

X
Y
Z

load specs

where,

FILE filnam ( [ FACTOR ] v1 )

load specs 

function specs
function specs =
SINE
FUNCTION
COSINE

[ AMPLITUDE ] v2 [ FREQUENCY ] v3 ( [ PHASE ] v4 )

and where,
filnam

previously stored time history (Section 2.4.4.1)

v1

factor to be multiplied times ordinates of the forcing function

(if omitted, a value of 1.0 is used)

v2

amplitude of sine/cosine function loading in active units

v3

frequency of sine/cosine function loading in active units

v4

phase of sine/cosine function loading in active units

(default = 0.0)

Explanation:
This command is used to specify a time history of loads applied to a list of
joints in the global X, Y, or Z directions. The loads may be specified in either of two
Rev P

2.4.4 - 2

V3

GT STRUDL

Transient Loading Commands

ways:
(1)

by reference to a previously stored time history (Section 2.4.4.1), or

(2)

specification of a trigonometric (sine/cosine) function.

A previously stored time history (Section 2.4.4.1) of type FORCE

TRANSLATION or FORCE ROTATION may be applied as a JOINT LOAD with
the FILE option. If the stored time history does not match the type specified in this
command (FORCE or MOMENT) an error message will be printed and SCAN mode
will be entered.
For trigonometric loadings, the time history may be given by specifying the
function (SINE or COSINE), amplitude, frequency, and phase angle. The
trigonometric loading used is given by the following expression, where t represents
time:
sin
v2

cos

( v3t  v4 )

Examples:

V3

(1)

Joints 1 TO 3, 5, A LOADS FORCE Y FILE WIND-1' FACTOR 1.5. This

command specifies that the previously stored time history WIND-1' should
have its ordinates multiplied by 1.5 and applied as a force in the Y-direction
at the listed joints.

(2)

JOINT 1,2 LOAD MOMENT Z FUNCTION SINE AMPL 5.0 FREQ 1.0.
A sinusoidal moment Z load with amplitude of 5.0 and frequency of 1. in
current units is applied at joints 1 and 2.

2.4.4 - 3

Rev P

Transient Loading Commands

GT STRUDL

2.4.4.4.3 Support Acceleration Command for Transient Loading

General form:
SUPPORT (ACCELERATION)

TRANSLATION
`
`
`
TRANSLATION

X
Y
Z

load specs

X
Y
Z

load specs

where,
load specs

same as for JOINT LOAD Command (Section 2.4.4.4.2)

Explanation:
This command is used to specify time history support acceleration loads. The
accelerations may only be of type TRANSLATION in the global X, Y, or Z
directions. Up to three support accelerations (X and/or Y and/or Z) may be specified
in a single TRANSIENT LOADING.
All support joints are assumed to have the identical support accelerations. All
support joints are assumed to move as one rigid body with no relative motion.

The load specs are identical to the load specs for the JOINT LOAD command
in Section 2.4.4.4.2, except that the loads are translational accelerations instead of
forces and moments. If the FILE option is used, the previously stored time history
must have been of the type ACCELERATION presented in Section 2.4.4.1, or must
have been created and stored with the CREATE TIME HISTORY command as
described in Section 2.4.8.1. Otherwise, an error message will be printed, and the
SCAN mode will be entered. Displacement and velocity results are computed
relative to the supports. The accelerations may be computed relative to the supports.
Rev P

2.4.4 - 4

V3

GT STRUDL

Transient Loading Commands

The accelerations may be computed relative to the supports or absolutely as described

in Section 2.4.5.3.

Examples:
(1)

SUPPORT ACCELERATION
TRANSLATION X FILE ELCENTRO

This command specifies the use of the N-S component of the El Centro earthquake
(provided with GTSTRUDL) as an applied support acceleration in the global X
direction of the structure.
(2)

SUPPORT ACCELERATION
TRANSLATION Y FILE QUAKE-TX FACTOR 0.2

This command specifies a translational support acceleration in the global Y-direction

where acceleration values previously stored in file QUAKE-TX times the factor 0.2
are used as the applied support acceleration.

V3

2.4.4 - 5

Rev P

Transient Loading Commands

GT STRUDL

2.4.4.4.4 Transient Loading for Matrix Input

General form:
i1

ROW

( LOAD ) load specs

i2 TO i3
where,
load specs

same as for JOINT LOAD command (Section 2.4.4.4.2)

Elements:
i1

integer ROW or equation number to which the loading is applied

i2, i3

starting and ending ROW or equation numbers to which the loading

is applied (i3 > i2).

Explanation:
This command is used to specify time history loads to structures whose
matrices have been directly input using the MATRIX command described in Section
2.4.3.4. The load specification description presented with the JOINT LOAD
command of Section 2.4.4.4.2 also applies here, except that no check is made on the
type of time history referenced when using the FILE option. It is the users
responsibility to ensure that the use of a previously stored time history (Sections
2.4.4.1 and 2.4.8.1) is meaningful. Note that the ROW identifiers must consist of
either a single row identifier or a contiguous group of row identifiers.

Examples:
(1)

ROW 1 LOAD FILE BLAST

ROW 3 TO 5 LOAD FILE BLAST

The time history stored under the name BLAST is applied to rows 1, 3, 4, 5.

Rev P

2.4.4 - 6

V3

GT STRUDL

2.4.4.4.5

Transient Loading Commands

Initial Conditions Commands

(1) General form except for Matrix Input:

INITIAL
list
`
`
`
list

(CONDITIONS)
(condition specs)

(condition specs)

(condition specs)
 DISPLACEMENT values

condition specs 

VELOCITY values

Elements:
values =

[XT] v1 [YT] v2 [ZT] v3 [XR] v4 [YR] v5 [ZR] v6

list

list of joint identifiers

v1,v2,v3 =

X, Y, Z initial joint translation displacements or velocities

v4,v5,v6 =

X, Y, Z initial joint rotation displacements or velocities.

(2) General form for Matrix Input:

INITIAL
rowlist
`
`
`
rowlist

V3

(CONDITIONS)
ROW
(condition specs)

(condition specs)

(condition specs)

2.4.4 - 17

Rev P

Transient Loading Commands

GT STRUDL

where,

rowlist 

i1
i2 TO i3

condition specs 

 DISPLACEMENT v1
VELOCITY v2

Elements:
i1

row identifier corresponding to Matrix Input row

i2,i3

initial and final row identifiers

v1,v2

initial displacement and velocity for row i1 or rows i2 to i3

Explanation:
This command allows the user to specify the initial conditions (DISPLACEMENTS and/or VELOCITIES) for (1) the joint degrees-of-freedom in the general
case of structure input, or (2) the equations of motion when the system matrices have
been input via the MATRIX command (Section 2.4.3.4).
The following qualifications relate to the specifications of initial conditions
at local released support joints, master joints, and slave joints:

Rev P

1.

At local release support joints, initial conditions components are

defined with respect to the local released coordinate system as shown
in Figure 2.1.7.1, Section 2.1.7.2, Volume 1 of the GTSTRUDL
Users Manual.

2,

At master nodes, initial conditions components are defined with

respect to the planar coordinate system of the planar rigid body (rigid
plane, plate or pin elements) which is connected to the master node.
If the master node is also a local released support joint, then qualification (1) above also applies.
2.4.4 - 18

V3

GT STRUDL

Transient Loading Commands

3.

Initial conditions specified for slave degrees-of-freedom are ignored.

However, initial conditions may be given for slave released degreesof-freedom specified by the SLAVE RELEASES command (Section
2.6.4.3). If slave releases are specified with respect to a local slave
released coordinate system, then corresponding initial conditions
components are defined with respect to that coordinate system,
similar to (1) above for local released support joints.

The command has a tabular format so that the condition specifications on the
command header will act as default values for the joints or rows listed in the table.
Values v1 to v6 listed following a list or a rowlist will override their corresponding
condition spec types given in the command header,

Examples:
(1)

INITIAL CONDITIONS
1 TO 5
6 TO 10

DISP
DISP
DISP

YT
XT
XT

1.0
2.0
3.0

XT
YT
XR
XT
YT
XR

=
=
=
=
=
=

VEL
YT

XR
05

1.5

The following data are stored:

Joints 1 to 5:

Joints 6 to 10:

(2)

Displacement
Displacement
Velocity
Displacement
Displacement
Velocity

2.0
0.5
1.5
3.0
1.0
1.5

INITIAL CONDITIONS ROW DISP 1.0

1 DISP .5 VEL 1.0
3 TO 5 VEL 2.0

The following data are stored:

row 1: Displacement
=
Velocity
rows 3,4,5:
Displacement
Velocity

V3

0.5
=
=
=

2.4.4 - 19

1.0
1.0
2.0

Rev P

Transient Loading Commands

2.4.4.4.6

GT STRUDL

Specification of Integration Time Parameters

General form:
INTEGRATE

[FROM] t1l
[FROM] t21
`
`
`
[FROM] tn1

[TO] t12
[TO] t22

[AT] t13
[AT] t23

[TO] tn2

[AT] tn3

Elements:
t11, t21,...,tn1
t12, t22,...,tn2
t13, t23,...,tn3

=
=
=

initial time values

final time values
values of time increments to be used in the integration

Explanation::
This command specifies the initial and final times and time increment for
transient loadings. A variable time increment may be specified by a sequence of
initial and final times with the associated time increment~. The initial time of one
sequence must be greater than or equal to the final time of the previous sequence.
The time increment must be positive. This command must be given for all transient
loadings.

Examples:
(1)

INTEGRATE FROM 0.0 TO 0.5 AT 0.1

In the above example, the transient response is calculated at
0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5

(2)

INTEGRATE FROM 0.0 TO 0.3 AT 0.1

FROM 0.3 TO 0.5 AT 0.05
FROM 0.6 TO 0.8 AT 0.1

In the above example the time history response is calculated at 0.0, 0.1, 0.2,
0.3, 0.35, 0.40, 0.45, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, and O.8.

Rev P

2.4.4 - 20

V3

GT STRUDL

2.4.4.4.7

Transient Loading Commands

Termination of a Transient Loading

General form:
END (OF TRANSIENT LOADING)

Explanation:
A TRANSIENT LOADING condition description is terminated by issuing
this command. Several complete transient loading conditions are provided as
follows:

Examples:
(1)

TRANSIENT LOADING 'EQI' 'VERTICAL (Y) AND HORIZONTAL (X AND Y)'

SUPPORT ACCELERATION
TRANS X FILE 'ELCENTRO'
TRANS Y FILE 'ELCENTRO' FACTOR .5
TRANS Z FILE 'ELCENTRO'
INTEGRATE FROM 0. TO 6. AT .02
END OF TRANSIENT LOADING

The El Centro support acceleration is applied to the structure in 3 directions, two

lateral and one vertical. The vertical motion is factored by one-half. Since El Centro
is stored at .02 second intervals and a time increment of .02 is used, no accelerogram
peaks will be missed.
(2) UNITS CYCLES POUNDS IN SECONDS
$
$ OUT-OF-BALANCE MOTOR FORCE = MASS * ECCENT * FREQ**2
$
= .1
* 7.
* (50*2PI)**2
$
= .1
* 7.
* 98696.
$
= 69087.
TRANSIENT LOAD 1 'SHAKE'
UNITS CYCLES
JOI 'A ' LOAD FOR X FUNCT COS AMPL 69087. FREQ 50. PHASE 0.
JOI IA ' LOAD FOR Y FUNCT COS AMPL 69087. FREQ 50. PHASE -.25
INTEGRATE FROM 0. TO . 2 AT . 002
END OF TRANSIENT LOAD

This example illustrates how a transient loading would be set up to handle the case
of an out-of-balance motor.
V3

2.4.4 - 21

Rev P