Time segmented frequency domain analysis for non linear multi degree of freedom structural systems.

This paper presents a new frequency-domain method to analyze physically non-linear structural systems having non-proportional damping. Single- and multi-degree-of-freedom (d.o.f.) systems subjected to time-dependent excitations are considered. A procedure to consider initial conditions, required by the methodology described, is discussed. The algorithm described here employs a time-segmented procedure in modal co-ordinates in the frequency domain; solution in each time-segment being obtained by an iterative process. The proposed methodology is validated by three examples. The procedure presented here can be employed as well to analyze structural systems with viscous and hysteretic damping or else with frequency-dependent damping properties