A Constraint Function Technique for Improved Structural Dynamics

Abstract

A constraint function approach is presented for finding design changes that remove natural frequencies from undesirable frequency bands for lightly damped structures. The technique requires the minimization of a function which becomes smaller when (1) natural frequencies clear out of undesirable bands, and (2) design changes become small. Useful forms of these functions are defined, and the number of possible minima is explored. Graphical intepretations of the constraint functions are given, and an example is included which shows the effects of the parameters which weight these two functions.