• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.121-142
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• 2009

The paper deals with the applications of spectral finite element method to the dynamic analysis of framed foundations supporting high speed machines. Comparative performance of approximate dynamic stiffness methods formulated using static stiffness and lumped or consistent or average mass matrices with the exact spectral finite element for a three dimensional Euler-Bernoulli beam element is presented. The convergence of response computed using mode superposition method with the appropriate dynamic stiffness method as the number of modes increase is illustrated. Frequency proportional discretisation level required for mode superposition and approximate dynamic stiffness methods is outlined. It is reiterated that the results of exact dynamic stiffness method are invariant with reference to the discretisation level. The Eigen-frequencies of the system are evaluated using William-Wittrick algorithm and Sturm number generation in the $LDL^T$ decomposition of the real part of the dynamic stiffness matrix, as they cannot be explicitly evaluated. Major's method for dynamic analysis of machine supporting structures is modified and the plane frames are replaced with springs of exact dynamic stiffness and dynamically flexible longitudinal frames. Results of the analysis are compared with exact values. The possible simplifications that could be introduced for a typical machine induced excitation on a framed structure are illustrated and the developed program is modified to account for dynamic constraint equations with a master slave degree of freedom (DOF) option.