Knowledge Base Articles

Experimental & Finite Element Modal Analysis

Article ID: NK-1000-0229

Publish Date: 24 Sep 2018
Article Status: Approved
Article Type: General Product Technical Information
Required Action: Information Only

Recent Article Revision History:

Revision/Publish Description of Revision
24 Sep 2018 Updated affected product
(See end of article for a complete revision history listing.)

Affected Products:
Product Line Category Device Version
Machinery Health AMS Machinery Manager Data Analysis Vibration Analysis, Plotdata,
Management Autostat, Nspectr, Motorview
Machinery Health AMS Machinery Manager Interface 3rd-Party Interfaces (CSI Data
Management Provider, ME'scope, ODBC, CMMS)
 An Overview
Experimental & Finite Element Modal Analysis
Robert J. Sayer, P.E.
Sayer & Associates, Inc.
Medina, Ohio

Introduction:

Modal Analysis is the process of determining the modal characteristics (natural frequency, mode shape and damping) of
an elastic structure. The utilization of the term "structure" in the definition For Modal Analysis does not imply that the
method is limited to classical civil engineering structures such as bridges and buildings. It can be used to define the modal
characteristic of any structure including mechanical equipment (fans, pumps, compressors, rolling mills, paper machines,
computer components, etc.). Hereinafter the term "structure" shall refer to the components of mechanical equipment as
well as the structural framework supporting same.

All structures have at least one natural frequency. Most structures have many natural frequencies. Structures are very
sensitive to dynamic forces that have a frequency at or near a natural frequency. The excitation of a natural frequency is
commonly referred to as resonance. The magnitude of the frequency at which resonance will occur is dependent upon the
distribution of mass (weight) and stiffness of a structure.

If a machine produces a force near the natural frequency of the structure, vibration levels will most probably be excessive.
This can result in a less than optimal performance level of the equipment and can cause premature failure of structural
and mechanical components of the machine due to fatigue.

It has been the experience of the Author that the excitation of natural frequency is the most common reason for excessive
vibrations in mechanical equipment. The source of vibration may be due to unbalance, misalignment, gear mesh, etc.
However, in many cases, the response (vibration level) to these dynamic forces would be acceptable if a natural
frequency was not excited. It is for this reason that Modal Analysis is one of the most important and powerful tools that a
vibration analyst can employ.

Modal Analysis can be separated into two categories; Experimental Modal Analysis (EMA) and Finite Element Analysis
(FEA). This paper provides an overview of both methods. Case histories are included to illustrate the implementation of
these methods in actual practice.

Experimental Modal Analysis:

As the name implies, Experimental Modal Analysis, hereinafter referred to as EMA, is based upon experimental data. The
structure must already be fabricated before this method can be applied. It is impossible to perform experimental testing on
something that does not exist.

The structure is excited by some measurable force input; either with an impact hammer or a shaker. This discussion will
be limited to the Impact Hammer Method of modal testing.

Minimum test equipment required to properly perform an impact test includes an instrumented force hammer; at least one
response transducer (accelerometer or velocity transducer); a multi-channel analyzer such as the CSI Wavepack, CSI
Consultant, or CSI Model 2400, and all necessary cables and power supplies for the impact hammer and transducers. A
digital data tape recorder is not required but provides a luxury that is sometimes necessary when field conditions limit the
amount of time during which an entire test procedure must be completed. A digital data tape recorder enables the analyst
to collect multiple channels of data simultaneously.

The procedure for an impact test is to apply a force to a fixed reference position while obtaining data by roving with a
response transducer amongst all of the data points which are required to define the mode shape. Alternatively, the
response transducer can be fixed as the reference while the structure is impacted at each data point. The Author has
found that the former usually provides the best results as long as the force is input near a location and in a direction of
greatest response.

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The objective of the Impact Method is to apply a nearly constant magnitude of force across the entire frequency range of
concern. This is referred to as broad band excitation. The response of the structure to the impact is obtained
.simultaneously. The response is divided by the force input to provide the Transfer Function. The magnitude of the force
input can differ for each impact since the Transfer Function is normalized by the force.

Figure 1 contains a typical frequency response obtained from an impact hammer and the resultant transfer function. The
magnitude of force is nearly constant across the entire spectrum. Peaks in the Transfer Function indicate a structural
sensitivity which most probably are associated with a natural frequency of the structure. Remember that the Transfer
Function is a measure of the amount of response per unit of force input. The response of the structure at a peak is greater
even though the magnitude of the force is the same at any other frequency. As previously stated, structures are sensitive
to dynamic forces with a frequency content at or near a natural frequency. Therefore, the sensitivity at the peaks in the
Transfer Function curve most probably indicates the existence of a natural frequency.

The Analyst should always check Coherence. Coherence provides a means to evaluate the probability that any peak on
the Transfer Function curve is actually associated with a natural frequency. Coherence near unity (1.0) indicates that the
response at that frequency was produced by the impact hammer and is not due to background noise. Figure 2 contains a
typical Coherence and Transfer Function curve.

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The Transfer Function for each data point can be plotted to provide an animation of the mode shape associated with each
natural frequency. Several Computer Software Packages are available that provide data curve fitting algorithms and
animation capability. The animations can be used to direct the analyst to "weak" areas requiring structural modification.

The major advantages of Experimental Modal Analysis are:

 The Analyst does not have to make any assumptions relative to the distribution of stiffness or mass since the
magnitude of natural frequency & damping and the associated mode shape are for a structure that already exists.
More importantly, assumptions regarding boundary conditions (foundation stiffness, anchor bolt tightness, rigidity
of bearings) are not required as long as the structure is tested after it is installed.
 Information regarding the thickness of components, grade of materials, stiffness of bolted .joints, etc. are not
required. Detailed engineering and fabrication drawings are not required to complete the analysis. This is
important since detailed equipment drawings are usually considered proprietary by the manufacturer and are not
available in most cases.

The major disadvantages of Experimental Modal Analysis are:

 The structure or machine must already be built before it can be tested. Therefore, the method cannot be used for
initial engineering design. An analytical technique, such as finite element analysis, is required at this stage of the
design process. However, the method can be used as a product development tool. Once an initial prototype has
been designed and built, EMA can be utilized to define modal parameters and assist in the design modification
stage.
 The equipment cannot be operating during the modal test. This sometimes poses a major problem, especially at
production facilities which operate around the clock without backup equipment. Even during scheduled plant
shutdowns, downtime is kept to a minimum limiting the time available to complete a test. Also, several other
maintenance projects may be occurring which limit access to the equipment during the downtime period.

A mistake frequently made in EMA is to test equipment in a shop prior to shipment under a complete different set of
supporting conditions than the equipment will have in the actual installation. It cannot be assumed that the equipment will
have the same modal characteristics after installation since the stiffness of the supporting conditions could have a

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significant effect on the magnitude of natural frequency. Techniques are available to formulate a projection of the actual
modal characteristics based on the shop tested values.

An in depth dissertation of Experimental Modal Analysis is beyond the scope of this overview. Reference books, including
Volume 2 of the CSI book titled "The Simplified Handbook of Vibration Analysis", are available to provide additional
information. CSI also offers a short course on "Applied Modal Analysis" which presents the test procedures and analysis
techniques in detail.

Finite Element Analysis:

Finite Element Analysis, hereinafter referred to as FEA, is based upon the differential equations of motion. It is strictly a
numerical method that does not require any physical testing, although it is highly recommended to correlate FEA models
with experimental data.

The finite element method is used today to solve all types of problems. It is used for stress analysis, heat transfer
analysis, magneto statics, the analysis of large deformation metal forming processes, and computational fluid dynamics to
name a few. Modal analysis is just a subset of the entire field of FEA.

A mathematical model of the structure to be analyzed must be developed in order to perform an FEA modal analysis. This
model is referred to as the Finite Element Model. Information required to accurately model any structure includes the
physical dimensions of all components to be analyzed, material properties including Modulus of Elasticity, Poisson's Ratio
and Density, and the boundary conditions (spring constants) at all supporting points not explicitly included in the finite
element model. Approximations in any of the above information will affect the accuracy of the finite element prediction.

The accuracy of the finite element solution is also dependent upon the number and type of elements used to describe a
structure. Generally speaking, the accuracy of a solution increases with an increasing number of elements. However, the
computation time required to obtain a solution also increases. This increase in computation time is not a linear function.
The objective of the analyst is to develop a finite element model which will provide an accurate solution using minimal
computation resources.

The most common source of error in FEA modal analysis is an inaccurate assessment of boundary conditions.
Sometimes it is necessary to perform an Experimental Modal Analysis concurrent with an FEA in order to properly
evaluate the boundary conditions.

The major advantages of Finite Element Modal Analysis are:

 The natural frequency and mode shapes of equipment and structures can be estimated before they are built. This
makes FEA an ideal engineering tool for product development.
 Structure can be analyzed in much greater detail than with experimental modal testing methods. Typically, the
degrees-of-freedom used to define a finite element model are orders-of-magnitude greater than an experimental
modal model. This provides greater flexibility when evaluating the affect of design modifications on modal
parameters, thus, making FEA a powerful engineering tool for the modal analysis of existing structures as well.

The major disadvantages of Finite Element Modal Analysis are:

 All of the information necessary to accurately define the distribution of mass and stiffness (thickness, dimensions,
and material properties) are required. This may not be a limiting factor when using the method for the initial
design of a structure. However, in many cases it is extremely difficult to obtain all of' the necessary information for
existing structures.
 An accurate assessment of all boundary conditions must be made. For instance, if a lira manufacturer was using
the method to calculate the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the fan wheel and shaft, the stiffness of the
structure and/or foundation supporting the fan would have to be approximated. The accuracy of the finite element
analysis would then be dependent upon the accuracy of this assumption.

Another major advantage of FEA not listed above is the ability to predict the change in the magnitude of natural frequency

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due to stress stiffening during operation. This is extremely important when performing a modal analysis of components of
high speed rotating equipment. Stiffening effects due to centrifugal stresses developed in these components result in an
increase in the magnitude of natural frequency during operation. Experimental modal techniques can only provide the
modal characteristics of these components for the at-rest condition.

Figure 3 contains a mode shape predicted by FEA for the wheel wobble mode of the impeller for a fan operating at 1780
rpm. The at rest natural frequency of 26.8 Hz was confirmed by experimental data. However, experimental techniques
could not be employed to provide an estimate of the natural frequency in the stress stiffened state. The FEA model was
employed to provide an estimate of the natural frequency under normal operating conditions.

The best procedure for providing a complete modal study is to combine FEA with EMA wherever possible. The procedure
recommended by the author is to identify the problem and define the modal characteristics by experimental modal
analysis, and then using the results of the EMA determines the stiffness of the boundary conditions. A finite element
model can then be developed using realistic boundary conditions. Once correlated to the experimental data, the FEA can
be used to evaluate proposed modifications.

An in depth dissertation of Finite Element Analysis is beyond the scope of this overview. Reference books, including
Volume 2 of the CSI book titled "The Simplified Handbook of Vibration Analysis", are available to provide additional
information.

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Case History #1:

The natural frequencies of the inlet ductwork of a large induced draft fan were being excited by pressure pulsations
produced by an aerodynamic disturbance at the fan wheel.
It was not possible to perform an EMA of the fan and ductwork. Therefore, finite element analysis had to be used as the

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technique for determining the modal characteristics of the duct.

Experimental modal testing was not possible for the following reasons:

 The fan could not be removed from service in order to perform an experimental modal test. The fan was the only
one servicing a baghouse for a multi-boiler steam production. Removing the fan from service would have an
adverse affect on production.
 Even if the fan could be removed from service, the amount of time required to perform a modal test would be
prohibitive. The ductwork was very flexible and contained many closely coupled modes which would have
required multiple force input and numerous response data locations.
 Access to the ductwork was difficult requiring the use of a man lift to reach all locations for which data would be
necessary. Also, the ductwork was covered with a layer of insulation which would make access to the surface of
the duct nearly impossible.

Therefore, Finite Element Analysis was utilized as an alternative to Experimental Modal Analysis. Even though
experimental modal testing could not be performed, operating vibration data was collected to support the finite element
analysis.

The speed of the fan was variable. Operating data was obtained using the TRANSIT program in WAVEPAK to capture
transient data as the speed of the fan was varied over its normal operating range. The vibration data indicated sensitivity
at around 24 Hz.

The mode shapes predicted by finite element analysis for the first three modes of natural frequency are shown in Figure 4.
The predicted magnitudes of these natural frequencies were 24.2 Hz and 24.9 Hz. This corresponded quite well with the
results of the operating vibration data which indicated sensitivity around 24 Hz. The FEA confirmed that the ductwork
contained many closely coupled flexible modes.

The objective of this study was to design a replacement duct that did not contain natural frequencies with magnitudes at
or near the frequency of the dynamic force produced by the fan. Both the geometric configuration and the stiffener
arrangement were modified to provide a duct with acceptable modal characteristics.

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Page 9 of 17
Case History #2:

Excessive levels of vibration were identified as the cause for the premature failure of roller elements for a large chain-
driven rotary breaker used to grind slag at a metal producing facility. Preliminary analysis of the vibration signal identified
that the pattern worn into the roller elements corresponded with the mesh frequency of the chain drive. The excitation of a
natural frequency was suspected as the reason for the problem. A complete modal analysis program was established
including an experimental modal analysis to define the modal characteristics of the structure and a finite element analysis
to design modifications for the structure that would effectively alter the modal characteristics.

The structural system that was tested consisted of the rotary breaker, which is large cylindrical shell, and the structural
framework supporting same. Figure S contains a sketch of the rotary breaker and structural steel support frame.
Preliminary impact testing identified framework distortion as the principal component of the mode shapes associated with
these natural frequencies. The distortion of the cylindrical shell did not appear to be significant. Therefore, most of the
data points were located on the structure. One set of data was obtained around the circumference of the shell in order to
establish the phase relationship between the rotary breaker and the support frame.

The Experimental Modal Analysis was performed using the Impact Method. A large instrumented sledge hammer, capable
of supplying 20,000# of force, was used to excite the rotary breaker and supporting framework. A typical coherence plot
and frequency spectra obtained during the test is included in Figure 6. Peak responses are evident in the frequency
spectra at 5.2 Hz and 13.3 Hz. The coherence (.999) was good indicating the existence of natural frequencies. The 13.3
Hz natural frequency was significant since it corresponded to sprocket-chain frequency of the drive.

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The mode shape associated with the natural frequency at 13.3 Hz is contained in Figure 7. This mode can best be
described as the principal torsional mode of the structural frame supporting the rotary breaker. The mode shape (not
shown) associated with the natural frequency at 5.0 Hz was the simple flexural mode of the structure. The objective of the
modification to the framework was to increase the magnitude of the natural frequency associated with the torsional mode
without changing the magnitude of the natural frequency associated with the flexural mode.

The experimental data indicated that the torsional mode shape contained a considerable amount of warping of the deep
flexible beams supporting the rotary breaker. A series of local beam stiffeners would be required to reduce the torsional
warping and increase the natural frequency. The model developed for the experimental modal testing did not contain the
amount of definition required to evaluate the affect that local stiffeners would have on the natural frequency. Therefore, a
finite element analysis was required to evaluate the modifications.

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The finite element model developed to analyze the rotary breaker is illustrated in Figure 8. Comparing Figure 7 to Figure
8, it can be seen that the definition of the finite element model was much more precise than the experimental model,
especially in the area of the structural framework.

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The mode shape for the torsional mode, as predicted by the finite element analysis, is shown in Figure 9. Correlation
between the finite element and experimental results was very good. Based upon this correlation, it was concluded that the
finite element model provided an accurate simulation of the actual structure. The finite element model was then used to
investigate possible structural modifications.

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The final design for the modification included cross bracing between columns in addition to the torsional web stiffeners for
the beams. The finite element analysis predicted that the magnitude of the natural frequency for the torsional mode would
increase so that the dynamic forces produced by the rotary breaker would fall outside the dynamic magnification range.
Subsequent impact testing performed after implementation of the modification confirmed the accuracy of the finite element
analysis. The problems associated with the failure of roller elements were solved after implementation of the
modifications.

Case History #3:

A variable speed, belt driven, centrifugal blower was experiencing excessive vibrations. The vibration level exceeded 5 ips
peak as the motor speed approached 200 rpm (20 Hz) Transient vibration data obtained using the TRANSIT Program in
CSI WAVEPAK (Figure I0) showed that over 99% of the vibration energy was concentrated at 1x motor speed. This
identified the motor pulley as the source of the dynamic force. The sudden magnified response of the fan as the motor
speed passed through 20 Hz indicated the possibility of a natural frequency. The solution was then to perform two
modifications; replace the motor pulley in order to decrease the magnitude of the dynamic force and modify the modal
characteristics of the system in order to decrease its sensitivity.

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Circumstances dictated that a solution be formulated immediately. This time constraint eliminated finite element analysis
as a viable modal analysis method to support the design of a structural modification. The entire analysis, including
implementation of a solution, was performed with experimental modal techniques in one day.

Impact testing identified natural frequencies at 3 Hz, 18.5 Hz and 22.5 Hz. Typical coherence plot and frequency
spectrums are shown in Figure 11. A complete experimental modal analysis identified the mode shape associated with
the 3 Hz natural frequency was the pumping of the isolation springs. The mode shapes at 18.5 Hz and 22.5 Hz were
identified as fan frame modes. Therefore, it was determined that the natural frequencies of the frame could be increased
by stiffening same without significantly affecting the isolation spring natural frequency.

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Figure 12 contains the frequency spectrum obtained by impact testing after implementing structural modifications to the
frame. As expected, the magnitude of the natural frequency associated with the isolation springs was unchanged. The
magnitude of the natural frequency associated with the fan frequency increased to 35 Hz.

Operating data obtained after implementation of the structural modifications showed that the peak vibration level was
reduced from 5 ips to 0.5 ips. There was no more indication of natural frequency excitation. The motor pulley was then

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replaced and the vibration level was further reduced to .09 ips. This case history provides an illustration of the importance
of defining the source of the dynamic force as well as the modal characteristics of the structure.

Complete Article Revision History:

Revision/Publish Description of Revision
24 Sep 2018 Updated affected product
09 Nov 2010 Original release of article

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