IMPULSE TECHNIQUE FOR STRUCTURAL FREQUENCY RESPONSE TESTING

Abstract

Structural frequency-response testing, also known as modal analysis, is becoming an integral part of the development and testing of a wide range of industrial and consumer products. It is an essential tool for the definition and solution of many types of structural dynamics problems, such as fatigue, vibration, and noise. The Authors discuss one of the most useful techniques for experimental frequency-response testing, based upon excitation of the structure with an impulsive force. Although simple and fast, the nature of the excitation and response signals in the impulse process requires special signal-processing techniques if accurate frequency-response measurements are to be obtained. The application of the impulse technique is discussed and the special problems encountered and methods of dealing with them are reviewed.