Effect of a Change in Position of a Support on the Natural Frequencies and Modes of Vibration of a System

Abstract

The effect of a small change in position of one of the supports on the natural frequencies and modes of a structure, which is ‘continuous’ over a number of supports, is examined in this paper. Using energy and receptance methods a simple formula is obtained for the change in natural frequency of a beam when the support displacement is infinitesimal. The corresponding displacements of other nodal points are also obtained. When the support displacement is finite, but not large, changes in mode and frequency are determined by iteration. The method of solution is extended to the coupled flexural and torsional vibration of a non-symmetrical beam. In the case of a rectangular plate with stiffeners parallel to an edge, frequency changes due to the change in position of a stiffener may be determined by the same method. Alternative approximate formulae, based on the static deflection curve, are derived for the change of fundamental frequency.