Verification of experimental component mode synthesis in the sierra analysis framework

Abstract

Experimental component mode synthesis (CMS) seeks to measure the fundamental modes of vibration of a substructure and develop a structural dynamics model of an as-built structural component through modal testing. Experimental CMS has the potential to circumvent laborious and costly substructure model development and calibration in lieu of a structural dynamics model obtained directly from experimental measurements. Previous efforts of interfacing an experimental CMS model with a production finite element code proved cumbersome. Recently an improved “Craig-Mayes” approach casts an experimental CMS model in the familiar Craig-Bampton form. This form is easily understood by analysts and more readily interfaced with non-trivial, discrete finite element models. The approach/work-flow for interfacing an experimental Craig-Mayes CMS model with the Sierra analysis framework is discussed and the procedure is demonstrated on a verification problem.