Example on Modal Analysis computation

Let's suppose to have a simple 3-dof system with the following characteristics:

where ki = 1.0 10 3 [ N m]
i = 1 6 and m1 = 0.5[ kg] , m2 = 1.0 [ kg] and
m3 = 1.5[ kg] . The [ M ] and [ K ] are, respectively:

m1

[M ] = 0
0

0
m2
0

k1 + k4 + k6
0

0 and [ K ] =
k4

m3
k6

k4
k2 + k4 + k5
k5

k5

k3 + k5 + k6

k6

A simple Matlab program may be useful for a numerical computation of the

eigensolutions of this 3-dof system:
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%%%% 3-DOF DISCRETE SYSTEM %%%%%%%
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
close all;
clear all;
clc;
tic;
% ---------- I N P U T ------------m(1)=0.5;
m(2)=1.0;
m(3)=1.5;
k(1)=1000;
k(2)=1000;
k(3)=1000;
k(4)=1000;
k(5)=1000;
k(6)=1000;
% ---------- COMPUTATION OF M and K Matrices --am=zeros(3);
am(1,1)=m(1);
am(2,2)=m(2);
am(3,3)=m(3);
ak(1,1)=k(1)+k(4)+k(6);
ak(2,2)=k(2)+k(4)+k(5);
ak(3,3)=k(3)+k(5)+k(6);
ak(1,2)=-k(4);

ak(1,3)=-k(6);
ak(2,1)=ak(1,2);
ak(3,1)=ak(1,3);
ak(2,3)=-k(5);
ak(3,2)=ak(2,3);
% ----------- Eigensolution -------ad=inv(am)*ak;
[ave,ava]=eig(ad);
ava(1,1)
ava(2,2)
ava(3,3)
ave
which gives the following solutions for the eigenvalues

2 = [ 950, 3352, 6698]

and for the eigenvectors

-0.9668 0.4874 -0.2296
0.2333 0.5633 -0.8232
0.1041 0.6672 0.5192
The previous code may be modified for adding the proportional damping with
the following instructions
% ===============================================
% ----------- Proportional Damping -------------% ===============================================
ge=0.05i;
k(1)=1000*(1+ge);
k(2)=1000*(1+ge);
k(3)=1000*(1+ge);
k(4)=1000*(1+ge);
k(5)=1000*(1+ge);
k(6)=1000*(1+ge);
% ---------- COMPUTATION OF M and K Matrices --ak(1,1)=k(1)+k(4)+k(6);
ak(2,2)=k(2)+k(4)+k(5);
ak(3,3)=k(3)+k(5)+k(6);
ak(1,2)=-k(4);
ak(1,3)=-k(6);
ak(2,1)=ak(1,2);
ak(3,1)=ak(1,3);
ak(2,3)=-k(5);
ak(3,2)=ak(2,3);
% ----------- Eigensolution -------ad=inv(am)*ak;
[ave,ava]=eig(ad);
ava(1,1)
ava(2,2)
ava(3,3)
ave
In this case the solutions change as:

2 = 950 (1+ 0.05i ), 3352 (1 + 0.05i ), 6698 (1+ 0.05i )

and the new eigenvectors are:
0.9668
0.4874 - 0.0000i 0.2296 - 0.0000i

-0.2333 - 0.0000i 0.5633 - 0.0000i 0.8232

-0.1041 - 0.0000i 0.6672
-0.5192 + 0.0000i
With the availability of the code, it is quite easy to try different values for both
masses, stiffnesses, as well as damping (proportional or not).
Similar results may be obtained from a finite element code prepared for the same 3dof system:
First of all, let's write a finite element model of the beam and verify the validity of
the model with these assumptions for the elastic properties:

ID ANALISI,MODALE
TIME 5 $ CPU TIME IN MINUTES
SOL 103 $ REAL MODAL ANALYSIS
CEND
TITLE = MODAL ANALYSIS OF DISCRETE
SYSTEM
SUBTI = THREE DEGREES OF FREEDOM - NO
DAMPING
ECHO = BOTH
SPC = 2 $ BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
DISP = ALL $ PRINT ALL DISPLACEMENTS
METHOD=10
BEGIN BULK
$
EIGRL,10,,,3,,,,MAX
$
GRID,1,,0.,0.,0.,
GRID,2,,0.,0.,0.,
GRID,3,,0.,0.,0.,
GRID,4,,0.,0.,0.,
GRID,5,,0.,0.,0.,
CONM2,11,2,,0.5
CONM2,12,3,,1.0
CONM2,13,4,,1.5
CELAS2,21,1.0E3,1,1,2,1
CELAS2,22,1.0E3,3,1,5,1
CELAS2,23,1.0E3,4,1,5,1
CELAS2,24,1.0E3,2,1,3,1
CELAS2,25,1.0E3,3,1,4,1
CELAS2,26,1.0E3,2,1,4,1
SPC1,2,23456,1,THRU,5
SPC1,2,1,1,5
$
ENDDATA

Executive Control Deck

Real Modal Analysis

Case Control Deck

Bulk Data
EIGRL card for the Lanczos method
GRID card do not need a definition of
the coordinates
CONM2 for the concentrated mass
CELAS2 for the concentrated stiffness
SPC1 for the boundary conditions

The result of this Nastran file are:

No.

EIGENVALUE
1
2
9.502505E+02 3
4
5
1
2
3.351810E+03 3
4
5
1
2
6.697939E+03 3
4
5

EIGENVECTOR
0.0
7.304158E-01
8.442084E-01
1.000000E+00
0.0
0.0
2.789000E-01
1.000000E+00
-6.307099E-01
0.0
0.0
1.000000E+00
-2.413065E-01
-1.076633E-01
0.0

Proportional damping may be implemented in NASTRAN as reported by the

following cards:
ID ANALISI,MODALE
TIME 5 $ CPU TIME IN MINUTES
SOL 110 $ COMPLEX MODAL ANALYSIS
CEND
TITLE = MODAL ANALYSIS OF DISCRETE
SYSTEM
SUBTI = THREE DEGREES OF FREEDOM PROPORTIONAL DAMPING
ECHO = BOTH
SPC = 2 $ BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
DISP(PHASE)
= ALL $ PRINT ALL
DISPLACEMENTS
METHOD=10
CMETHOD=15
BEGIN BULK
$
EIGRL,10,,,3,,,,MAX
EIGC,15,CLAN,MAX,,,,3
$
GRID,1,,0.,0.,0.,
GRID,2,,0.,0.,0.,
GRID,3,,0.,0.,0.,
GRID,4,,0.,0.,0.,

Executive Control Deck

Complex Modal Analysis (using the
modal approach)
Case Control Deck
Note the request for the Magnitude
and
Phase
output
for
the
diplacements
Note the METHOD and CMETHOD card
for the complex eigenvalue analysis
using the modal approach

Bulk Data
EIGRL card for the Lanczos method
EIGC card for the complex Lanczos
GRID card do not need a definition of
the coordinates
CONM2 for the concentrated mass

GRID,5,,0.,0.,0.,
CONM2,11,2,,0.5
CONM2,12,3,,1.0
CONM2,13,4,,1.5
CELAS2,21,1.0E3,1,1,2,1,0.05
CELAS2,22,1.0E3,3,1,5,1,0.05
CELAS2,23,1.0E3,4,1,5,1,0.05
CELAS2,24,1.0E3,2,1,3,1,0.05
CELAS2,25,1.0E3,3,1,4,1,0.05
CELAS2,26,1.0E3,2,1,4,1,0.05
SPC1,2,23456,1,THRU,5
SPC1,2,1,1,5
$
ENDDATA

CELAS2 for the concentrated stiffness

including the damping
SPC1 for the boundary conditions

The result of this Nastran file are:

COMPLEX EIGENVALUE SUMMARY

1
2
3

Eigenvalues
Real
Imaginary
-7.704128E-01 3.083576E+01
-1.446919E+00 5.791290E+01
-2.045385E+00 8.186649E+01

Frequency

Damping

4.907663E+00
9.217123E+00
1.302946E+01

4.996879E-02
4.996879E-02
4.996879E-02

C O M P L E X E I G E N V E C T O R NO.
1
Grid
Magnitude
1
0.0
2
7.304158E-01
3
8.442084E-01
4
1.000000E+00
5
0.0

Phase
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0

C O M P L E X E I G E N V E C T O R NO.
2
Grid
Magnitude
1
0.0
2
2.789000E-01
3
1.000000E+00
4
6.307099E-01
5
0.0

Phase
0.0
0.0
0.0
180.0
0.0

C O M P L E X E I G E N V E C T O R NO.
3
Grid
Magnitude
1
0.0
2
1.000000E+00
3
2.413065E-01

Phase
0.0
0.0
180.0

4
5

1.076633E-01
0.0

180.0
0.0

Again modification and sensitivity analysis of these files becomes easy to accomplish.
Same results are obtained for the DIRECT complex eigenvalue solution.
Here the modification of the input file:
ID ANALISI,MODALE
TIME 5 $ CPU TIME IN MINUTES
SOL 107 $ COMPLEX MODAL ANALYSIS
CEND
TITLE = MODAL ANALYSIS OF DISCRETE
SYSTEM
SUBTI = THREE DEGREES OF FREEDOM PROPORTIONAL DAMPING
ECHO = BOTH
SPC = 2 $ BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
DISP(PHASE)
= ALL $ PRINT ALL
DISPLACEMENTS
$METHOD=10
CMETHOD=15
BEGIN BULK
$
EIGRL,10,,,3,,,,MAX
EIGC,15,CLAN,MAX,,,,3
$
.
.
.
ENDDATA

Executive Control Deck

Complex Modal Analysis (using the
direct approach)
Case Control Deck
Note the request for the Magnitude
and
Phase
output
for
the
diplacements
No need for the METHOD card. Only
CMETHOD card is necessary for the
complex eigenvalue analysis using the
direct approach
Bulk Data
EIGRL card may be left. It is simply not
used.
EIGC card for the complex Lanczos