Method and apparatus for predicting sturctural integrity by estimating modal damping factor

Abstract

The integrity of structures may be determined by either one of two methods. In a first method, an impulse of energy is introduced into the structure, such as by striking the structure, and the induced vibration is measured and the modal damping factor is calculated, the modal damping factor being directly related to the integrity of the structure. In a second method, a continuous energy input is provided to the structure for inducing a continuous vibration in the structure. This continuous vibration is measured with a transducer and a modal damping factor is calculated with a computer. The computer uses an algorithm to estimate the modal damping factor of the structure by calculating a theoretical response of an idealized system from several assumed parameters and varying those parameters until the difference between the measured response of the structure and a theoretical response of the idealized system is within an acceptable margin of error.

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