A combined finite element–stiffness equation transfer method for steady state vibration response analysis of structures

An extended finite element transfer matrix method, in combination with stiffness equation transfer, is applied to dynamic response analysis of the structures under periodic excitations. In the present method, the transfer of state vectors from left to right in a combined finite element-transfer matrix (FE-TM) method is changed into the transfer of general stiffness equations of every section from left to right. This method has the advantages of reducing the order of standard transfer equation systems, and minimizing the propagation of round-off errors occurring in recursive multiplication of transfer and point matrices. Furthermore, the drawback that in the ordinary FE-TM method, the number of degrees of freedom on the left boundary be the same on the right boundary, is now avoided. A FESET program based on this method using microcomputers is developed. Finally, numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the accuracy as well as the potential of the proposed method for steady state vibration response analysis of structures.