Characterizing non-Gaussian vibration loading using the trispectrum

Abstract

This paper addresses the use of higher-order spectra to study the non-Gaussian nature of random vibration loading. Since the power spectral density is only a full description for stationary Gaussian processes, specifying non-Gaussian random vibration loading requires a sophisticated statistical description. In recent research higher-order statistical moments such as skewness and kurtosis have been used to define non-Gaussian properties of vibration loading. However, useful information contained in the spectral representation of these moments is neglected. This paper introduces the trispectrum as a tool for analyzing vibration loading. It is the spectral representation of the fourth-order moment and thus extends the information content of the kurtosis. For demonstration several common methods for generating non-Gaussian loading are reviewed and used to derive loads that reproduce the power spectral density and kurtosis of a real in-service loading. These loads are analyzed using Fatigue Damage Spectra and trispectra to relate structural response behavior to their non-Gaussian nature. The results suggest that the trispectrum is a valuable tool for analyzing and classifying non-Gaussian random loading.