Expansion Theorem

Consider the mdof system having n dof

We have normal modes :

φr (r = 1,2,….n )

( φ r is assumed to have been normalized

Properties of φ r
(i) φ is a vector of n dimension

(ii) All φ ’s are independent of each other

(iii) All φ ’s are mutually orthogonal
(iv) Because of independency their linear combinations are used to form another n-
dimensional vector . That is each vectoe is a basis vector.

Therefore any arbitrary vector can be expressed as a linear combination of basis vectors. Here
we use this important Clue
n

u = c1φ1 + c 2φ 2 + ........c nφ n = ∑c φ
r =1
r r (1)

How to obtain the coefficients c ( c1 , c2…cn are scalalr quantities ) ?

T
We premultiply the Eq (1) by φr m

Then ,

n
T
φr mu = ∑φ
r =1
r
T
mφr cr = M r cr since cr is constant

1 T
From which, cr = φr mu (2)
Mr

Eq (1) is the basis of mode superposition technique.

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 Free Vibration by Mode Superposition Technique
Eq of motion for n dof system in original or physical coordinate system u. (Remember bold
letters are matrices or vectors). Let us consider an underdamped system subjected to initial
conditions only.

&& + cu& + ku = (0 )
mu (1)

m, c and k , matrices in general have nonzero diagonal terms which are responsible to make
these equations coupled. That is, mij = mji ≠ 0; cij = cji ≠ 0. kij = kji ≠ 0.

However, note that for a lumped mass system mij = mji =0.

• Eq (1) is a set of n number of coupled equations. Solving the n number of

simultaneous equations is tedious.

Our Aim:
To obtain the response due to the Initial conditions: u(0) = u0 and u& (0) = u& 0

(2)
Clue: For sdof systems the solutions are known from our previous studies.

We shall learn:

• We shall apply coordinate transformation in which the set of n-coupled equations will be
transformed into a set of n number of uncoupled equations. This is called decoupling

• Transformation of equation in u coordinate system to principal coordinate system η with

the help of mode shape matrix

• Determine the initial conditions in Principle coordinate system Then write the solutions
in principal coordinate (also called normal coordinate)

• Determine the response displacement or stresses in original system

• These uncoupled equations are similar to the equations of motions for sdof systems
whose solutions are known.

Step (1)

Obtain the frequencies and mode shapes from solving the eigen value problem of Eq (1):

2
 (k − ω r2 m )φr = 0 (3)

That is find (ω r2 ,φr ) for r =1,2,3…n

φ r is assumed to have been normalized

(5)

Step 2

Collect the mode shape vectors in columns and form the Modal matrix

φ11 φ12 . . . φ16 

φ . φ26 
 21 φ 22 . .
 . . . . . . 
[
Φ = φ1 φ 2 φ3 φn ] =  (6)
 . . . . . . 
 . . . . . . 
 
φn1 φn 2 . . . .φ n 6 

Step 3 The Key Step : use the coordinate transformation from u to η

n

u(t ) = Φη(t ) = ∑ φ η (t )
r =1
r r
(7)

Here η r (t ) = is referred to as principal or normal coordinate. It is a column vector of n elements . It

represents some time function.

Step 4:

substitute Eq (7) in to Eq (1) we get : (we are writing η for clarity in place of η(t))

mΦη&& + cΦη& + kΦη = 0

Then premultiply this equation by Φ T we get

Φ T mΦη
&& + Φ T cΦη& + Φ T kΦη = 0

This is written as:

Mη&& + cη& + kη = 0 ` (8)

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Where

M = Φ T mΦ = Modal mass matrix

C = Φ T cΦ = Modal damping matrix (9)

K = Φ T kΦ = Modal stiffness matrix

Note: Due to Orthogonality conditions Mnxn and Knxn matrices are diagonal matrices always.
Diagonalisation means decoupling since off diagonal terms are absent.

However, the C matrix is not diagonal ??? ( Because Φ matrix was obtained from the eigen value
problem which involves only k and m and not c). However we will use tricks Such as Rayleigh damping
to diagonalise it/. This we have already been introduced in SDOF study).

For the time being let us assume that matrix C is also diagonal.

The expanded form of the Eq (8) is written as:

M 1 0 0 0 0 0  η&&1  C1 0 0 0 0 0  η&1   K1 0 0 0 0 0  η1 

 0 M2 0 0 0 0  η&&2   0 C 2 0 0 0 0  η& 2   0 K2 0 0 0 0  η 2 

 0 0 . 0 0 0   .   0 0 . 0 0 0   .   0 0 . 0 0 0   . 
   +    +     = {0}
 0 0 0 Mr 0 0  η&&r   0 0 0 Cr 0 0  η& r   0 0 0 Kr 0 0  η r 
 0 0 0 0 . 0  .   0 0 0 0 . 0  .   0 0 0 0 . 0  . 
        
 0 0 0 0 0 M n  η&&n   0 0 0 0 0 C n  η& n   0 0 0 0 0 K n  η n 

STEP 5

Now Eq(8) represents a set of n independent equation in modal or principal or normal

coordinates η . You should expand a diagonal matrix to see it as an exercise. In other words we
have n single degree of freedom system equations of motions. Let us pick any r th diagonal
element, then from Eq (8) corresponding equation of motion is written as

M rη&&r + C rη&r + K rη r = 0 (10)

Here Mr, Cr, , Kr , are the modal quantities corresponding to r the mode. ηr is the principal or
modal coordinate. This is just like an equation of motion for a single degree of freedom system
in coordinate ηr. There will be n number of such equations.

Remember

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Modal mass for r th mode: M r = φrT mφr (11)
T 2
Modal stiffness r th mode: K r = φ kφ r = ω M rr r
T
Modal damping coefficient r th mode C r = φ cφ r r

We do not use Cr . Instead we define modal damping ratio ξr

Cr  1  T
ξr = =  φ r cφ r
(12)
2 M r ω r  2M r ω r 

( We assume that if there are any repeated frequencies, the associated modes have been
orthogonalized so that orthogonality properties for two distinct modes r and s

φ rT mφ s = φ rT kφ s = 0 for r ≠ s (13)

Step6

We shall solve the equations (10). Here we shall use the results for our single degree freedom
studies. The response total response contains that due to initial conditions as well as due to the
given excitation. Again mind it that our initial conditions are given in terms of original co
ordinate u and not in terms of η. So we have to obtain initial conditions in terms of η.

Initial conditions: we shall use this transformations:

u(0) = Φη(0) (14)

u& (0) = Φη& (0)

Premultiply these by ΦT m , we get :

Φ T mu(0) = Φ T mΦη(0) = Mη(0) (15)

Φ T mu& (0) = Φ T mΦη& (0) = Mη& (0)

Again since M is diagonal

1 T
η r ( 0) = ( )φ r mu(0)
Mr (16)

1 T
η& r (0) = ( )φ r m u& (0)
Mr

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Step 7

For rth mode the solution in principal coordinate becomes :

For viscously under -damped system:

 1 
η r (t ) = e −ξ ω t η r (0) cos ω dr t +
r r
[η&r (0) + ξ r ω rη r (0)]sin ω dr t 
 ω dr 

Where ω dr = ω r 1 − ξ r2 (17)

For an undamped system (ξr=0) :

1
η r (t ) = η r (0) cos ω r t + η& r (0) sin ω r t
ωr
(18)

For each mode ( r =1, 2,…n) Eq (18) is computed and the vector {η} is formed

η1 
η 
 2
 . 
η(t ) =  
η r 
.
 
η n 

Step 8

To obtain the solution in the physical coordinate u back transformation is done by invoking
Eq 7 .

 u1 
u 2
 
 .  n

u(t ) =   =
 . 
∑φ η (t )
r =1
r r
(19)
 . 
 
u n 

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What is the meaning of this ?? Modal responses of each mode ( r=1, 2…n) are calculated and then
summed up( superimposed) to get the response in physical coordinates. Remember, here φ r is a
column vector giving vector u. For example
φ1r 
φ 
 2 r 
φr =  . 
 . 
 
φ n r 

The first subscript denotes the mass number.

We can also use the matrix

u(t ) = Φη(t )

This method is called MODE DISPLACEMENT METHOD

Step 9

Calculation of elastic Forces: Having known the u shear forces can be obtained as

f s (t ) = ku(t ) = kΦη(t ) (20)

Our relation from Eigen value problem in matrix form

kΦ = mΦΛ (21)
Where Λ is a diagonal matrix called matrix of eigen values. containing diagonal elements λr = ω2r =
eigen values. Substituting Eq 21 in Eq20
{
fs(t ) = kΦη(t ) = mΦΛη(t ) = mΦ ω r2η r (t ) } (22)

The bracketed quantity is a vector. Note that for higher modes frequencies are higher and their
fore Higher modes are important for shear Calculation.

Problem: Calculate the free vibration response of the system with mass matrix and mode shapes given
by

m 0  1 1
m= , φ1 =  , φ2 =  
 0 m 1 − 1
The given the initial conditions: u1(0) =0 , u2 (0) = u0 , u&1 (0) = 0, u& 2 (0) = 0 .