There is a need to derive a power spectral density (PSD) envelope for nonstationary acceleration time histories, including launch vehicle data, so that components can be designed and tested accordingly.
Three methods are considered in the following paper using an actual flight accelerometer record.
The first method divides the accelerometer data into segments which are idealized as “piecewise stationary” in terms of their respective PSDs. A maximum envelope is then drawn for the superposition of segment PSDs. This method initially requires no assumptions about the response characteristics of the test item, but vibration response spectra may used for peak clipping as shown in the example.
The following two methods apply the time history as a base input to a single-degree-of-freedom system with variable natural frequency and amplification factors. The response of each system is then calculated. Upper and lower estimates of the amplification factor can be used to cover uncertainty.
The first of this pair is the energy response spectrum (ERS), which gives energy/mass vs. natural frequency, as calculated from the relative response parameters.
The final method is the fatigue damage spectrum (FDS), which gives a Miners-type relative fatigue damage index vs. natural frequency based on the response and an assumed fatigue exponent, or upper and lower estimates of the exponent.
The enveloping for each of the response spectra methods is then justified using a comparison of candidate PSD spectra with the measured time history spectra. The PSD envelope can be optimized by choosing the one with the least overall level which still envelops the accelerometer data spectra, or which minimizes the response spectra error.
This paper presents the results of the three methods for an actual flight accelerometer record. Guidelines are given for the application of each method to nonstationary data. The method can be extended to other scenarios, including transportation vibration.
Paper: enveloping_comparison.pdf
Slides: Irvine_IEST_2016.pptx
The Matlab scripts for the enveloping methods are included in Vibrationdata GUI package
* * *
See also:
Dirlik Rainflow Counting Method from Response PSD
Fatigue Damage Spectrum, Frequency Domain
Optimized PSD for Nonstationary Vibration Environments
– Tom Irvine
1 thought on “Nonstationary Vibration Enveloping Method Comparison”