Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering 31 (2011) 1075–1079

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Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/soildyn

Technical Note

On the use of the half-power bandwidth method to estimate damping in

building structures
George A. Papagiannopoulos a,n, George D. Hatzigeorgiou b
a
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Patras, GR-26500 Patras, Greece
b
Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, GR-67100 Xanthi, Greece

a r t i c l e i n f o abstract

Article history: The objective of this note is to assess the accuracy of the half-power bandwidth method for the
Received 15 February 2011 estimation of damping ratios in single- and multi-degree-of-freedom structures with linear viscous
Accepted 17 February 2011 damping including those that do not possess classical normal modes. This is done by performing some
Available online 5 March 2011
numerical experiments involving single- and multi-degree-of-freedom structures. It is found that the
use of the half-power bandwidth method in its classical form may lead to significant errors, while a
third order correction to this classical form provides conservative and more reliable results. It is also
found in conjunction with this correction that application of the half-power bandwidth method should
be performed to the acceleration frequency response transfer function of the structure on a mode-to-
mode basis and that its damping ratio estimates for higher modes should always be viewed with
caution.
& 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction The adequacy and the accuracy of the half-power bandwidth

The most common damping model in building structures is
that of a linear viscous form. Experimentally, damping can be
estimated by various methods including the one that makes use
of the width of the peak value of the frequency response function
of the structure. This damping estimation method is commonly
known as the half-power bandwidth method [1,2] and has the
advantage of simplicity in application.
The half-power method has been extensively used for single-
degree-of-freedom (SDOF) and multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF)
structures with linear viscous damping including those that do not
have classical normal modes. It is true that the use of this method
for damping estimation has a clear meaning only to the degree to
which a structure can be successfully modeled by a SDOF system or
by a series of decoupled SDOF systems. Nevertheless, the use of the
half-power bandwidth method has been extended to MDOF struc-
tures on the basis of the assumption that each peak in the frequency
response function is affected only by the mode under study. On the
other hand, the method is challenged in cases of MDOF structures
with modes having nearly the same natural frequency (closely
spaced modes) leading to possible mode coupling. The degree of
this mode coupling in a structure depends on the interplay among
its damping distribution, its geometric characteristics (from which
its natural frequencies can be found) and its type of excitation [3].
n
Corresponding author. Tel.: +30 2671028394.
E-mail address: gpapagia@upatras.gr (G.A. Papagiannopoulos).
method to estimate modal damping ratios of a MDOF structure
having different damping forms has been recently investigated by
Olmos Navarrete and Roesset [4]. More specifically, structures
having equal damping in all modes, mass proportional damping
and stiffness proportional damping were considered in [4]. The
same authors evaluated the adequacy and the accuracy of the
half-power bandwidth method to structures that do not have
classical normal modes, i.e., they are non-classically damped or
their damping property is a function of frequency [5]. In both
works [4,5], results from damping estimates are in favor of the
half-power bandwidth method.
The aim of this note is to further investigate the adequacy and
the accuracy of the half-power bandwidth method to estimate
damping ratios. This investigation is restricted herein to some
numerical experiments involving seismically excited linear vis-
cously damped SDOF and MDOF structures possessing classical or
non-classical damping. The effect of closely spaced modes in
MDOF structures has been left out of consideration in view of a
future work. For the aforementioned structures, their acceleration
frequency response transfer functions are constructed on the
basis of minimization of the numerical errors that have to do
with frequency domain signal processing phenomena [6]. Various
forms of the half-power bandwidth method are then employed to
estimate the damping ratios from these transfer functions. These
forms depend on the degree of considerations and approxima-
tions performed on the analytical basis of the method.
Key finding of this note is that the half-power bandwidth
method in its classical form may lead to significant errors, while a

0267-7261/$ - see front matter & 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.soildyn.2011.02.007
1076 G.A. Papagiannopoulos, G.D. Hatzigeorgiou / Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering 31 (2011) 1075–1079

third order correction to this classical form provides conservative

and more reliable results. It is also found in conjunction with this
correction that application of the half-power bandwidth method
should be performed to the acceleration frequency response
transfer function of the structure on a mode-to-mode basis, and
that higher mode damping ratio estimates using this method
should always be viewed with caution.

2. The half-power bandwidth method and its variants

Consider an SDOF structure excited by a harmonic force. Its

non-dimensional frequency response transfer function X(o) has
the form [1]
1
XðoÞ ¼ ð1Þ
1ðo=on Þ2 þ 2xðo=on Þi

where on is its natural frequency, x its damping ratio and

pffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
i¼ 1. The modulus of the maximum (resonant) value Fig. 1. The half-power bandwidth method for estimation of the damping ratio.
qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
2
9Xr ðoÞ9 ¼ 1=2x 1x can be easily found. For small values of x,
leads to the formula [7]
or ffi on, i.e., o/on ¼1. Thus, one obtains 9Xn(o)9 ¼1/2x, where
o2 o1 3
9Xn(o)9 is close but not equal to the actual resonant value 9Xr(o)9.  2x þ 2x ð7Þ
on
Instead of using 9Xr(o)9 or 9Xn(o)9 to calculate x, the usual
consideration made is that of finding two frequency points Solving Eq. (4) for the case of two positive real roots of
qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
pffiffiffi ffi
o1 and o2 (with the assumption that o2 4 o1) on either side of 2
(o/on)2, i.e., for x o ð1=2Þð 8=8Þ or x o0.383 leads to [2]
9Xn(o)9 for which
qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
pffiffiffi pffiffiffi 2 2
9Xðo1 Þ9 ¼ 9Xðo2 Þ9 ¼ ð1= 2Þ9Xn ðoÞ9 ¼ ð1= 2Þð1=2xÞ ð2Þ ðo=on Þ2 ¼ ð12x Þ 7 2x 1x ð8Þ
qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
2
These points are called half-power frequency points and their from which, after a binomial expansion of 1x and retain-
bandwidth is termed the half-power bandwidth. Bypconsidering ing of the first two terms, one arrives again at Eq. (6).
ffiffiffi
the modulus of X(o) from Eq. (2) to be equal to ð1= 2Þð1=2xÞ, in It should be noted that Eq. (8) comes from Eq. (4) and not from
view of Eq. (1), one has that Eq. (3) as commonly mentioned in many textbooks, e.g., [1,8].
Taking into account the aforementioned restrictions on x found in
2 2
ðo=on Þ4 2ð12x Þðo=on Þ2 þð18x Þ ¼ 0 ð3Þ conjunction with Eqs. (3) and (4), it can be concluded that Eq. (6)
can be used to estimate x, when x o0.353.
If 9Xr(o)9 instead of 9Xn(o)9 is used in Eq. (2), then one obtains
The frequency response function obtained experimentally or
from Eq. (1) that qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
2
numerically has a peak at or ¼ on 12x . Therefore, a correc-
2 2 4
ðo=on Þ4 2ð12x Þðo=on Þ2 þð18x þ8x Þ ¼ 0 ð4Þ tion can be made in Eqs. (6) and (7) by using or instead of on. One
Solution either of Eq. (3) or of Eq. (4) provides two roots finally gets from Eq. (6) the expression
(o1/on)2and (o2/on)2, where o1 and o2 are the half-power o2 o1 2x
frequency points. Obviously, Eq. (4) is more exact because ffi qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi ð9Þ
or 2
9Xr(o)9 has been used for the determination of the half-power 12x
frequency points. However, irrespectively of using Eq. (3) or (4), and from Eq. (7) the expression [7]
the subsequent estimation of the damping ratio x in terms of
o2 o1 3
o1,o2,on or of o1,o2,or, is relied upon certain approximations  2x þ 4x ð10Þ
or
summarized below. These approximations lead to various expres-
sions that can be employed to estimate x. In the following, for estimating x. If one further assumes small values for x,
Eqs. (3) and (4) are solved approximately and corresponding third order terms in Eq. (10) can be omitted and one finds
expressions for the damping ratio x are provided. o2 o1
Solution of Eq. (3) for the case p offfiffiffitwo positive real roots for ffi 2x ð11Þ
or
(o/on)2, i.e., for x2 o1/8 or x o1=2 2 ¼ 0:353, leads to
qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi This last expression can be also obtained from Eq. (6) as for
2 2 small values of x (e.g., x C 0:20 [2]) one has or ffi on. Eq. (11) is the
ðo=on Þ2 ¼ ð12x Þ 7 2x 1 þ x ð5Þ
qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi one commonly used to estimate damping ratio of a SDOF
2
Using a binomial expansion of the 1 þ x and retaining only structure and can be extended to estimate modal damping ratios
the first two terms, one has from Eq. (5) [1] for MDOF structures having widely spaced resonances [1]. Taking
into account all the aforementioned considerations regarding
o2 o1
ffi 2x ð6Þ 9Xr(o)9 and or as well as the results of [7], it is concluded that
on
Eq. (11) in conjunction with a displacement frequency response
Thus, use of the half-power frequency points o1 and o2 on transfer function X(o) can provide acceptable damping ratio
either side of on enables one to determine the damping x from estimates for SDOF structures and for MDOF structures having a
Eq. (6), as illustrated in Fig. 1. This method of calculating x on the response-dominant first mode, if x r0.20.
basis of Eq. (6), is termed here the classical half-power bandwidth The accuracy of Eq. (11) is different when an acceleration
method. A higher order approximation in the solution of Eq. (5), frequency response transfer function A(o) is used as opposed to a
 G.A. Papagiannopoulos, G.D. Hatzigeorgiou / Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering 31 (2011) 1075–1079 1077

displacement frequency response transfer function X(o) [7]. x r0.15, while the third order approximation (correction) of
However, because A(o) ¼  o2X(o) and 9A(o)9 ¼ o29X(o)9 [1,2], Eq. (12) provides good lower bound results for x r0.20. Therefore,
the maximum (resonant) value of acceleration 9Ar(o)9 and the Eq. (12) can provide conservative and more reliable damping
frequency ora at which the maximum acceleration occurs are estimates for SDOF structures under the assumption that the half-
qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
2 2 power points can be located.
both needed. Therefore, one has 9Ar ðoÞ9 ¼ 1=ð2x 1x Þ and
qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi Consider next a seismically excited seven-storey and two-bay
2 moment resisting steel plane frame with story heights and bay
ora ¼ on 12x . The half-power frequencies are defined and
lengths of 3.00 and 4.00 m, respectively. The frame consists of
calculated as above because 9Ar(o)9 ¼9Xr(o)9. After further HEB320, HEB280 and HEB240 column sections for the first three,
approximations one arrives at [7] next two and upper two storeys, respectively, and IPE300 and
o2 o1 3 IPE240 beam sections for the first four and upper three storeys,
 2x þ8x ð12Þ
ora respectively. The first four natural frequencies of the frame are
0.946, 2.660, 5.176, and 8.084 Hz. These frequencies are well-
By assuming small values for x, higher order terms for x can be
separated, i.e., numerically not close to each other. Damping is
omitted and one can find an expression similar to that of Eq. (11)
considered to be uniformly distributed throughout the frame and
where or ¼ ora. Taking into account the aforementioned consid-
hence the Rayleigh damping formulation can be employed.
erations regarding 9Ar(o)9 and ora as well as the results of [7], it is
Assuming common values x of damping ratios for the first two
concluded that Eq. (11) in conjunction with an acceleration
modes of the frame, its damping matrix can be constructed [2].
frequency response transfer function A(o) can provide acceptable
The assumed values of x are 1%, 3%, 5%, 10%, 20% and 50%.
damping ratio estimates for SDOF systems and for MDOF systems
For these damping values, the acceleration frequency response
having a response-dominant first mode, if x r 0.15.
transfer functions are constructed and their moduli at the
resonant peaks are found. Due to the linearity of the frame, its
3. Estimation of damping ratio using the half-power acceleration frequency response transfer function is independent
bandwidth method of the level of the excitation. The half-power points as well as the
resonant peaks are then used in Eqs. (11) and (12) to estimate x
In this section some numerical experiments involving linear for each one mode separately. It should be noted that Eqs. (11)
viscously damped SDOF and MDOF structures are executed in and (12) are applied only to the modes that appear in the transfer
order to investigate the accuracy of the half-power bandwidth function. The results obtained regarding estimated x values as
method when used to estimate the damping ratio x. well as the relative error e between assumed and estimated x
More specifically, Eqs. (11) and (12) are used to estimate x in values are shown in Table 2. The dash (-) denoted in Table 2
conjunction with the acceleration frequency response transfer means that values for x and e cannot be found because one of the
function of these structures. The latter is defined as the ratio of two half-power points does not exist.
the Fourier transforms of absolute roof acceleration of the From the results of Table 2 and assuming a 5% error margin, it
structure to the seismic acceleration at its base. The construction can be observed that for structures having well-separated natural
of the acceleration frequency response transfer function has been frequencies and uniform damping distribution, Eqs. (11) and (12)
performed on the basis of minimization of the numerical errors provide (a) very good damping ratio estimates for the first two
that have to do with frequency domain signal processing phe- modes when x r0.10 and (b) very good damping ratio estimates
nomena [6]. This has been done in order to avoid biased estimates for the third mode when x r0.05. In all other cases both Eqs. (11)
for x. Errors in the calculation of the frequency response transfer and (12) lose their accuracy, indicating that application of
function usually lead to underestimation of its peak (resonant) Eqs. (11) and (12) to estimate damping ratio of higher modes
value, and hence to overestimation of x [9]. should always be viewed with caution. In general, more con-
Consider first a seismically excited linear SDOF structure servative are the results provided by Eq. (12). It should be also
having a natural frequency 1.674 Hz. Due to the linearity of the noted that if the participation of higher modes in a MDOF
structure, its acceleration frequency response transfer function is structure is low, then this structure tends to be a SDOF one, and
independent of the level of the excitation. The assumed values for
x are 3%, 5%, 10%, 20% and 50%. For these x values, the acceleration Table 2
frequency response transfer functions are constructed and their Results for the seven storey and two bay classically damped plane frame.
moduli at the resonant peak are found. The half-power points as
Mode x x from e from x from e from
well as the resonant peak are then used in Eqs. (11) and (12) to
assumed Eq. (11) Eq. (11) Eq. (12) Eq. (12)
estimate x. The results obtained regarding estimated x values as (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
well as the relative error e between assumed and estimated x
values are shown in Table 1. From these results and assuming a 1 1.00 1.00 0.00 1.00 0.00
5% error margin, one can observe that the traditionally used 2 1.00 1.00 0.00 1.00 0.00
3 1.57 1.59 1.27 1.55 1.27
formula of Eq. (11) provides good upper bound results for 4 2.33 2.26 3.00 2.25 3.43
1 3.00 2.97 1.00 2.96 1.33
Table 1 2 3.00 3.03 1.00 3.02 0.67
Results for SDOF structure. 3 4.71 4.75 0.85 4.73 0.42
4 6.95 8.00 15.11 7.80 12.23
x assumed x from e from e from e from 1 5.00 4.91 1.80 4.89 2.20
(%) Eq. (11) (%) Eq. (11) (%) Eq. (12) (%) Eq. (12) 2 5.00 5.00 0.00 5.00 0.00
(%) 3 7.86 8.40 6.87 8.20 4.33
1 10.00 10.20 2.00 9.82 1.80
3.00 2.95 1.67 2.95 1.67 2 10.00 10.80 8.00 10.30 3.00
5.00 5.03 0.60 4.99 0.20 3 15.65 11.53 26.33 11.00 29.71
10.00 9.79 2.10 9.47 5.30 1 20.00 20.35 1.75 18.00 10.00
20.00 21.05 5.25 18.57 7.15 2 20.00 – – – –
50.00 68.76 37.52 41.02 17.96 1 50.00 58.50 17.00 37.50 25.00
1078 G.A. Papagiannopoulos, G.D. Hatzigeorgiou / Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering 31 (2011) 1075–1079

hence one can estimate damping on the basis of Eqs. (11) and (12)
for SDOF structures.
The case of seismically excited plane frames with non-uniform
distribution of damping over their height is studied in the follow-
ing. For these frames, shown in Fig. 2, damping is assumed to be
concentrated at the bottom storey or at the top storey and can take
the values 7%, 10%, 20% and 40%. These frames are subjected to the
high frequency content and the low frequency content seismic
motions recorded in El Salvador, 2001 and in Erzincan, Turkey,
1992, respectively. More details about the properties of the frames
and of that of the seismic motions can be found in [10].
Due to the non-uniform damping distribution, these frames
have complex eigenvalues. From these eigenvalues and by using
formulas for underdamped systems one can find modal damping
ratios to be used in the context of complex modal superposi-
tion [11]. Many researchers, e.g. [5], have stressed the lack of
physicality behind the idea of complex modes. Moreover, modal
damping ratios coming from complex eigenvalues cannot be
directly related to a decoupled set of the equations of motion [12].
In order to have modal damping ratios to be used in the
context of real (classical) modal superposition, one may either
Fig. 2. Plane frames having non-uniform damping distribution.
transform the complex mode shapes into real ones, e.g., [13], or
employ modal damping identification procedures, e.g., [10]. In
view of the limitations and the errors associated with the first
option, the second option, i.e., that of damping identification, is
employed herein. More specifically, the modal damping identifi-
cation model presented in [10], when applied to a structure
having non-uniform damping distribution, may yield modal
damping values that can be used in classical modal superposition.
The accuracy of this damping identification model has been
checked in [10] against the interplay of those parameters that
affect the dynamic response of a non-classically damped struc-
ture. The modal damping values extracted from this identification
model are considered to be exact and are compared with those
damping values coming from the use of Eqs. (11) and (12).
The results obtained from the use of Eqs. (11) and (12)
regarding estimated x values as well as the relative error e
between assumed and estimated x values are shown in Table 3.
Due to the linearity of the frames, their acceleration frequency
response transfer functions are independent of the level of the
excitation. The dash (-) appearing in Table 3 means that values for
x and e cannot be found because either one of the two half-power
points does not exist or the identification model gives no result.
From the results of Table 3 and assuming a 5% error margin, it can
be observed that Eqs. (11) and (12) provide (a) very good damping
ratio estimates for the first two modes and non-acceptable
damping ratio estimates for the rest (higher) modes, when
damping is r0.10 and concentrated in the lower part of the
structure and (b) damping ratio estimates of enough accuracy for
the first mode and of low accuracy for the rest (higher) modes
when damping is r0.07 and concentrated in the lower part of the
structure, Thus, application of Eqs. (11) and (12) for damping
estimation in higher modes should always be viewed with
caution. In general, more conservative are the results provided
by Eq. (12).
The use of Eq. (12) for estimation of the damping ratio from
the seismic response of a non-classically damped structure like
that of Fig. 2, is also supported by considering the results of [10].

Table 3
Results for the one bay and three storey non-classically damped plane frame.

Assumed x and location Mode x exact (%) x from Eq. (11) (%) x from Eq. (12) (%) e from Eq. (11) (%) e from Eq. (12) (%)

7%—lower storey 1 6.90 6.95 6.87 0.72 0.43

2 2.87 2.64 2.62 8.01 8.71
3 4.35 2.76 2.71 36.55 37.70

10%—lower storey 1 9.83 10.00 9.60 1.73 2.34

2 4.14 4.05 4.12 2.17 0.48
3 6.23 4.08 4.14 34.51 33.55

20%—lower storey 1 19.76 20.78 18.30 5.16 7.39

2 8.91 8.38 8.17 5.95 8.31
3 – – – – –

40%—lower storey 1 40.06 45.35 32.10 13.21 19.87

2 25.20 19.39 17.23 23.06 31.63
3 – – – – –

7%—upper storey 1 3.16 3.30 3.29 4.43 4.11

2 1.64 1.91 1.90 16.46 15.85
3 3.61 1.87 1.84 48.20 49.03

10%—upper storey 1 4.48 4.74 4.71 5.81 5.14

2 2.34 2.61 2.60 11.54 11.11
3 5.34 2.77 2.72 48.13 49.06

20%—upper storey 1 8.92 9.60 9.32 7.62 4.48

2 4.72 5.31 5.22 12.50 10.59
3 13.56 5.97 5.92 55.97 56.34

40%—upper storey 1 18.82 19.45 17.38 3.35 7.65

2 11.25 10.88 10.42 3.29 7.38
3 – – – – –
 G.A. Papagiannopoulos, G.D. Hatzigeorgiou / Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering 31 (2011) 1075–1079
More specifically, in [10] the identified modal damping ratios are
applied in conjunction with classical modal superposition to
obtain approximate seismic base shear, acceleration and displa-
cement responses. These approximate responses are then com-
pared with the exact ones that come from linear dynamic analysis
by time integration. It is concluded in [10] that the error of all
approximate responses in comparison to the exact ones is
negligible when the seismic excitation has low frequency content
and significant when the seismic excitation has high frequency
content.
In the present case, considering the modal damping values
extracted from this identification model of [10] to be exact,
Eq. (12) provides conservative damping estimates for all modes
when damping is concentrated in the lower part of the structure
and slightly non-conservative damping estimates for the first two
modes when damping is concentrated in the upper part of the
structure. It is expected that if damping estimates from Eq. (12)
are to be used in the context of classical modal superposition,
errors in the aforementioned seismic responses will be from
the conservative side for low frequency seismic excitations and
from the non-conservative side for high frequency excitations.
However, no comparisons between approximate and exact
responses are shown herein as the effect of closely spaced modes
has to be included, and this requires an extension of the modal
damping identification model of [10].
4. Conclusions
The half-power bandwidth method including a third order
correction as shown in Eq. (12) can provide good accuracy and
conservative damping ratio estimates for seismically excited
SDOF structures, MDOF classically damped structures (having
well-separated natural frequencies) and MDOF non-classically
damped structures excited by a low-frequency seismic motion.
1079
In conjunction with this correction, application of the half-power
bandwidth method should be performed to the acceleration
frequency response transfer function of the structure on a
mode-to-mode basis, and higher mode damping ratio estimates
using this method should always be viewed with caution. Finally,
employment of Eq. (11), corresponding to the classical form of the
half-power bandwidth method, to estimate damping ratio should
be abandoned.
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