Determination of Effective Masses and Modal Masses

from Base-Driven Tests

U. Ftillekrug
German Aerospace Research Establishment (DLR)
Institute of Aeroelasticity
Bunsenstr. 10
37073 Gljttingen, Germany

Abstract R,i : Modal participation coefficient

r*jx: Modal residue
This paper deals with the identification of effective masses
and modal masses from base-driven tests. When perform- PI: Number of modes
ing a base-driven test with an elastomechanical structure. NY Number of DOFs of structure S
the structural responses can be related to the base ac- 64: Physical mass
&rations and a modal identification of the structure can be c: Physical viscous damping
accomplished. If, in addition, the base forces are meas- K: Physical stiffness
ured, it is possible to determine the effective and modal
masses of the structure. Here, the required equations SubscriDts
describing the dynamic behaviour are first developed and
discussed. In the following, an analytical vibration system S: structure
with simulated measurement errors is used for demonstrat- n: Base
ing the identification. In addition, a method to improve the 0: 6 DOF coordinates of the base
accuracy of the identified parameters is shown. Based on r: Current mode number
the encouraging results. the application to real test data is j, k: Element numbers of vectors/matrices; general
envisaged for further investigations. Integers

Suwxscripts
Nomenclature
T: Transpose of matrix or vector
Matrices. Vectors /f: Complex conjugate (Hermitian) transpose of a
matr,x
Mass matrix -1: Inverse of a matrix
Viscous damping matrix
[K]: Stiffness matrix 1. Introduction
Geometric transformation matrix for structure S
Geometric transformation matrix for base B Base-driven tests are usually performed during the devel-
tGsij opment and qualification process of spacecraft. Besides
[+I,: FRF matrix their main purpose of qualifying the structural design with
Eigenvector matrix respect to vibrational loads, these tests can be used for the
modal identification of the tested structure. Once a struc-
Displacement vector
ture has been instrumented with transducers and mounted
+%I: 6 DOF displacement vector of the base on a vibration table, the structural responses can be re-
Force vector lated to the base excitation and the measured data can be
14:
used for modal identification. The main difference when
hl: 6 DOF force vector of the base compared to a classical modal identification test, where the
(4 : Relative displacement vector vibrations are induced by point-force exciters, is the fact
that here the inertia forces of the structural masses serve
PI, : r eigenvector
as excitation. This limits the controllability of the eigen-
modes. In addition, the excitation forces cannot be meas-
&& ured directly and modal masses cannot be determined in
the usual manner. However, if the forces between the
0: Frequency of vibration vibration table and the tested structure are measured by
0,: Natural frequency of r mode means of an appropriate force measurement device, it is
II,: Viscous damping ratio of r mode possible to determine the modal masses and effective
m,: Modal mass of r mode masses.
P,: Effective mass of i mode
P: Static mass

671
With the knowledge of modal masses, the modal model of
a structure can be completed and dynamic response calcu-
lations can be performed. If the effective masses of a
structure are known, the eigenmodes can be judged with
respect to the possible occurence of strong reaction forces
which is particularly useful when dealing with the coupling
of a launcher and its payload. Also, both quantities can be
If, for a moment, the vibration table were substituted by a
employed advantageously for the verification and im-
large seismic mass. the displacements of the base de-
provement of analytical models.
grees of freedom would be zero:
In contrast to publications where the analysis of base-
driven vibration tests is based on the phase separation
technique ISSPA [l,Z], a different way of development,
more similar to [3,4] is followed here. Interface forcing and the upper part of (2) would result in
functions are derived and discussed on the basis of equa-
tions of motion in physical coordinates. The fact that effec-
tive masses can be identified from these functions is
shown. Then the determination of modal masses is de-
Once the structural displacements (u),are known, the
scribed. An example with an analytical vibration system is
used for the illustration of the equations and the identifica- forces at the base degrees of freedom would simply follow
lion of the system. from the lower pari of (2)

2. Theoretical Development
So the forces at the base would be determined by the
Figure 1 shows a typical set-up of a base-driven vibration
structural motions {u), and by the coupling matrices of the
test where base reaction forces are measured. The tested
structure S is mounted to a force measurement device structures Sand B.
which is fixed to the table plate of a multi-axis vibration
simulator. The interface forces between the vibration table In the present case, however. motions at the base degrees
and the structure are measured by force transducers which of freedom are prescribed which excite structural vibra-
connect the upper and lower pal of the force measure- tions. It is now appropriate to introduce new coordinates
ment device. Due to the location where the forces are {uo], describing the 6 DOF motions of the base, and a
measured the structure B becomes part of the tested ob- displacement vector {v}, which contains the elastic defor-
ject. As the force measurement device has to be stiff in the
mations of the structure with respect to its rigid-body mo-
tested frequency range - this is a prerequisite for adequate
tion.
force measurements the displacements of the structure B
can be considered to be composed of pure rigid-body
This can be written as
motions. The goal of the following derivations is to first
establish an analytical expression relating the interface
forces and interface accelerations. {I& = {v] + [Cs]{~t,} (3a) {IA), = [G,j]{+,] (3b)

Matrices [cs] and [Gal transform the 6 DOF motions of the

2.1 Basic Equations
The dynamic behaviour of a linear, time-invariant, and
viscously-damped etastomechanical structure consisting of
parts Sand B can be described by
[M] {ii) + [c] {ii} + [K] {!A] = {r}, (1)
where [,M], [c] and [K] are the symmetric physical mass.
damping, and stiffness matrices; {r] is the vector of the
external forces and {u} is the displacement vector. Parii-
tioning equation (1) with respect to the degrees of freedom
of the structure {CL}, and the degrees of freedom of the
base {u}, delivers
vibration table to the rigid-body motions of the structure S
and 8. It should be noted that eq. (3) includes the trans-
formation from absolute to relative coordinates which in
general cases can become nonlinear. However, the linear
relationship of equation (3) with time-independent matrices
[c~] and [Go] can be used for most practical cases; see
also [5]. The columns of matrices [Go] and [G,,] can be
interpreted as the rigid body eigenvectors related to the
respective translational or rotational axis. Premultiplying a
force vector with the transposed matrices [Gsr and [Gel
delivers a vector with resultant forces where all force com-
ponents are summed up for the respective axis.
The transformation (3) can be arranged as

672

and inserted into (2). When performing the matrix multipli-
cations it must be taken into account that a rigid-body
displacement of the whole structure cannot cause any
elastic forces, i.e. it must be valid that
Likewise, a rigid-body velocity of the whole structure can-
not cause any damping forces which leads to a corre-
sponding equation for the damping submatrices. In the
follwing, the mass coupling matrices [M]~~ and [MlsB are
neglected when compared to the matrices [MIS3 and
[Mlos. It should be noted that the equations remain pre-
cise for a lumped-mass discretization. The neglection is
not necessary - it is introduced here just for the purpose of
simplifying the equations.
Premultiplying (2) with the transposed transformation ma-
trix of (4) and taking equation (5) into account delivers
If no external forces act on the structure S. i.e.
Id, = PI I (7)
the structural vibrations are caused exclusively by the base
excitation. The upper and lower parts of equation (6) then
deliver
[MISS [;I + [Cl,@} + [KISS 1~1 = -[Ml&s] @a] W .
[GslT [MISS {;I + ([d [MISS [G.s] + [GE] [MI&R]) (41) =
=hll~~~=I%l @b)
Equation (8a) describes the relative vibrations of the
structure caused by the inertia forces of the base excita-
tion. Equation (8b) delivers the resultant forces{r,] of the
673
base which are caused by the total mass of the structural
parts Sand Band the structural vibrations.
Transforming (&I) into the frequency domain leads to
The transfer function matrix [H(w)] can be determined by
measuring the 6 DOF base accelerations and the resulting
structural relative vibrations. Also, the transfer function
matrix [H (co)] can be constructed by modal parameters
and, in case of proportional damping,
can be derived, where {v}, is the real normal mode
shape. ,)I, = {w}: [M]~~ (~1,~ the generalised mass, o,
the eigenfrequency and q, the modal damping of the ei-
genmode r
2.2 Interface Forcing Functions
Inserting eq. (10) into the transformed Fourier eq. (Eb),
what follows is
This equation relates the 6 DOF base accelerations
{ijo (w)} to the resultant 6 DOF base forces{r, (a~)). The
transfer function can therefore be called the interface ap-
parent mass function.
In the low-frequency range where w << w,, the
first part of (11) can be neglected and the dynamic
forces at the interface are dominated by the moving
rigid mass of the structures Sand B.
- Around the resonances w, high interface forces
can be produced due to structural resonances. The
force amplitudes are limited only by the damping
factors q,.
 - In the high-frequency range where w >> wn, it can be
written that and the static mass

eq. (14) can be rewritten as

with[y] as the modal matrix of the eigenvectors and 2.3 Effective Masses
the generalised mass matrix. Since it is defined as
According to [6,7], the effective mass of a mode r and a
degree of freedomk is defined as
FTJ = [WIT [4ss [VI (12)
it follows that

It can be understood as an equivalent physical mass of the

Then far w >> wa equation (11) can be expressed as
r modal degree of freedom which, in contrast to the modal
mass, is independent of the eigenvector scaling. A charac-
teristic of the effective mass is the fact that the summation
over all modes I delivers the total mass (or the moment of
inertia) of the structure S. This can be verified by

{ b (41 = [%lT r4oBPRl I% (41 (13) ;h = {Gs]: [Miss [+I (hl%l, [VI)- hl [Ml.s.s {%I, =

Now the forces of the masses of the structure S cancel

out and the intedace forces are determined exclusively
={%I: [MISS ksl, (19)
by the masses of the structure 8.

Next, the transfer function relating the acceleration of the Using the definition (18) with equation (15). it follows that
degree of freedomk to the resultant force degree of free-
dom j is extracted from (11)

The effective masses of the structure S can therefore be

determined by the measurement of the transfer function of
a base acceleration to the corresponding base force and
the following identification of the parameters of this transfer
function. For the identification of the parameters P,~ and
kW (14) pjr and an appropriate phase separation technique can be
I employed. If the modal mass is known (or defined, e.g. to
m, = l), the parameters R,i and I& can be calculated in
where the vectors {Gs}j, {Gs},, {Gs}i, and {Gs}, are addition.
the j-th and k-th column of matrices [Go] and [Gel, re-
spectively.

By defining modal participation coefficients

(15)

674
2.4 Modal Identification and Modal Masses
For the identification of modal parameters of the structure
Seq. (IO) can be utilised
which relates the 6 DOF base accelerations {tie (a~)} to the
structural relative accelerations {G (ro)}. Since the trans-
ducers on the tested structure S usually measure the abso-
lute accelerations (II (ro)},, the relative accelerations
{ti (0)) need to be calculated previously from
For the transfer function relating the structural acceleration
of measurement point jto the base acceleration k, it can be
written that
When applying an appropriate phase separation tech-
nique, the modal parameters wr and II, can be deter-
mined from eq. (22). The mode shapes can be calculated
when employing eq. (22) for all structural points j= 1, 2.
N.
In addition, the term
(23)
can be determined from eq. (22).
Using (15) and (20). it follows that
and
Having determined the effective mass flrk based on
measured interface forces, the modal mass m, follows
from the eigenvector component yir and the parameter
675
.Ajx. Since eq. (24) can be set up for each structural
measurement pant j= 1, 2, , Nand each base excitation
axis k = 1. 2, , 6. the value of the modal mass rn,~ can
be estimated, e.g., by averaging. The absolute value of the
modal mass depends, of course. on the scaling of the
eigenvector {v},.
3. Illustrative Example
The analytical vibration system employed as an illustrative
example is shown in figure 2. It consists of 12 masses
which are coupled by springs and dampers. Mass M,
represents the base 6 whereas the remaining part forms
the structure S. The masses M, to M,, are only allowed to
move in the vertical direction. Their magnitudes are all
defined to the same value. The damping parameters are
set proporknal to the spring rates. The structure is there-
fore proportionally damped and the mode shapes are
purely real. The modal parameters and the effective
masses of the structure S are listed in table 1. The modal
masses are given for the mode shapes with the largest
component normalized to 1. The real normal mode shapes
are shown in figure 3.
The vibration system is excited by a base translational
motion u and a (small) rotational motion a. which is line-
arized. With the vector of the base degrees of freedom
the transformation matrices become
I -n
I -0.X<
I -O.b<
:I -0.4
I
I 0.40
I 0.60
I 0.8a
I *
Measurement errors are simulated by adding random
numbers with a magnitude of 10% to the true signals.
For a translational base excitation the responses of the 11
masses are plotted in terms of the transmissibility func-
tions Vx /U in figure 4. Figure 5 shows the summation of the
11 FRFs and in figure 6 the mode indicator function of DLR
[6] is plotted. The functions indicate the presence of six
modes which are the symmetric modes of the structure S.
Due to the symmetric excitation and the symmetry of the
structure S, no anti-symmetric mode can be excited by
translational base excitation. Figure 7 shows the magni-
tude and phase of the translational base force which is
divided here by the translational base acceleration, thus
forming the apparent mass function. No rotational base
force (moment) occurs for translational base excitation.
with the true values in all cases where the effective
masses are large. Only in cases where the effective
masses are small the modal masses are flawed by higher
f?rrors.

For a rotational base excitation the transmissibilities 4. Summary and Conclusions

Vk / ri of the 11 masses are plotted in figure 6. the sum
transmissibilities in figure 9, and the mode indicator func-
tion in figure 10. From these functions the resonances of
only three modes can be detected which are the first anti-
symmetric modes of the structure S. The magnitude and
phase of the rotational base force (moment) which is
scaled by the rotational base acceleration is plotted in
figure Il.
First, the apparent mass functions of figure 7 and 11 are
analysed. According to eq. (17) and (20), it should be pos-
sible to identify the eigenfrequencies, damping values and
effective masses from these functions. The Frequency
Direct Parameter Identification algorithm [9] of the CADA-X
modal analysis software (101 is employed for the analysis.
The results are listed in table 2. Modes 1. 2. 3, 5, 7, and 11
could be identified. The accuracy of the identified fre-
quecies is rather high. However, the damping values. and
identified effective masses show larger deviations. The
total mass and moment of interia, obtained by the suma-
tion of the effective masses are in good agreement with the
true values. Modes 4, 6, 6, 9. and 10 could not be identi-
fied at all. The reason for this is the fact that these modes
do not cause any significant base lorces.
In the following step. the structural responses induced by
base acceleration are analysed with the FDPI algorithm.
The results are listed in table 3. The agreement of the
identified frequency and damping values with the true
values is very good. The improvement is due to the more
significant data utilised in the identification process. Modes
6 and 10 could not be identified at all since they cannot be
excited strongly enough by translational or rotational base
excitation. This fact is also pointed out by the mode indica-
tor function which shows no peak for these modes.
The dynamic behaviour of an etastomechanical structure
undergoing a base-driven vibration test is considered. The
analytical expressions for the base forces and the relative
structural vibrations which are caused by base accleera-
tions are set up. Based on this, the equations for the iden-
tification of effective masses and modal masses are devel-
oped and discussed. An analytical vibration system is used
for demonstration and identification. The main results of
the simulated experiments are:
Effective masses can be determined from measured
base forces with satisfactory accuracy.
The accuracy can be improved if the results of a previ-
ous modal analysis of the structure are used addition-
ally.
The accuracy of effective and modal masses is gen-
erally good. It decreases only in those cases where the
magnitudes of the effective masses are low.
Since the identification of effective and modal masses
provides valuable additional data on a structure tested
under base excitation, experimental investigations with a
suitable test structure are planned and prepared. Special
attention will be placed on the multi-axis base excitation
case.
5. Appendix: Determination of effective masses from
measured base forces using identified eigenfrequencies
and damping values.
Eq. (17) used far j = k delivers with eq. (20):

In order to improve the identification of the effective

masses. the following procedure is carried out: The identi-
fied eigenfrequencies and damping values of table 3 are
inserted into the equation for the base forces (17) and the
effective masses are determined from the measured forces
and eq. (17) by solving an overdetermined system of linear
equations (see appendix for details). The identified effec- Rearranging this yields:
tive masses as well as the identified eigenvector compo-
nents and modal residues are then used for the calculation
of modal masses according to eq. (24).

The results of this identification are listed in table 4. The

relative errors of the identified effective masses are very
small in all cases where the value of the effective mass is
large. The relative error becomes higher only for the small
effective masses. The summations of the effective masses
deliver the total mass and the total moment of inedia with
good accuracy. The modal ma?.ses are in good agreement W
676
where
Now the identified parameters o, and 7, can be inserted
and eq. (A2) can be set up for each frequency o at which
the base force and the base acceleration wwe measured.
The combination of all of these equations leads to a sys-
tem of linear equations
1) = [AlId (A3)
If the number of measured frequencies w is greater than
the number of eigenfrequencies n, eq. (A3) can be solved
in the sense of least squares
{ox} = ([A]"[.$ [A]" (h) b44)
and {x) yields the identified effective masses
6. References
[II Link, M. : ..Structural System Identification Using
Single and Multi-Axial Vibration Test Data, Proc. of
Conference on Spacecraft Structures, CNES. Tou-
louse. ESA SP 238, pp. 179.184,1986.
121 Link, M.; Qian, G.: Identification of Dynamic Models
Using Base Excitation and Measured Reaction
Forces, Revue Franc&e de Mechanique n 1994.
1, pp. 35.42. 1994.
Table 1: Modal Data of the Analytical Vibration System
677
[31 Girard, A.; lmberf J.F.: ,,Modal Effective Parameters
and Truncation Effects in Structural Dynamics,
Proc. of the 5th International Conference on Modal
Analysis, London, pp. 820.826, 1987.
[41 Meurat, A.; Girard, A.; Bugeat, L.P.: .Improvement
of Dynamic Force Measurement for Vibration Tests
on Spacecraft Structures, Proc. of Conference on
Spacecraft Structures, CNES, Paris, pp. 1035.1045.
1994.
[51 Ftillekrug, U.: ,,Time Domain Analysis of Base-
Driven Transient Tests, Intl Journal of Analytical
and Experimental Modal Analysis, ~8. 3, pp. 205.
218,1993.
El Wada. B.K.; Chen, J.C.: Test and Analysis Correla-
tion for Structural Dynamic Systems, 2nd Intl
Symposium on Aeroelasticity and Structural Dynam-
ics, Aachen, DGLR Report 85-02, pp. 632-647,
1985.
[71 Wada, B.K.; Branford, R.; Garba. P.A.: ,,Equivak?nt
Sprung Mass: A Physical Interpretation, Shock and
Vibration Bulletin. Bull. 42, pp. 215.225, 1972.
PI Breitbach, E.: A Semi-Automatic Modal Survey Test
Technique for Complex Aircraft and Spacecraft
Structures, Proc. of the lllrd Testing Symposium,
Frascati, Italy, pp. 519 - 528, 1973.
PI Lembregts. F.; Leuridan. J.; van Brussel, H.; Fre-
quency Domain Direct Parameter Identification for
Multiple Input Analysis: State Space Formulation,
Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 4 (I),
pp. 65 75, 1990.
[lOI LMS: CADA-X Modal Analysis Manual, Revision
3.3, Leuven, 1994.
 9 I I I I
10
11 1 28.579 1 (0.4%) 1 7.063 1 (-21.3%) 0.248 (-8.6%)

5% 10.465 (-4.9%) 4.410 (0.2%)

,=I

Table 2: Results of the Analysis of the Base Forces

I (error) MAC [A]

8 I I I I I
9 1 18.429 1 (-0.2%) 1 5.478 1 (-5.7%) 1 98.7
10 I I I I I
t 11 1 28.463 1 (0.0%) 1 8.787 1 (-2.1%) 1 97.3

Table 3: Resulls of the Modal Analysis of the Structural Responses

I I t I

9 0.094 (7.0%) 3.478 -12.3%

10
11 0.280 (2.9%) 1.229 (7.1%)
,I
1 & 1 10.959 j (-0.4%) 1 4.393 1 (0.2%) I
I=/ I I
Table 4: Identified Effective and Modal Masses

678
 Figure 1. Test Set-Up of a Base-Driven Vibration Test

r=ll
1 3 5 7 9 11

Figure 2. Analytical Vibration System Figure 3. Real Normal Mode Shapes

679
Figure 4. Structural Responses for Translational Base Figure 6. Mode Indicator Function for Translational
Excitation (Transmissibility Functions) Base Excitation

Figure 5. Summation of Transmissibility Functions for Figure 7. Translational Base Force (Apparent Mass)
Translational Base Excitation

680
 Mode Indicator Function

r
mfalimal bare excitalon
1.0

Figure 13. Structural Responses for Rotational Base Figure 10. Mode fndicator Function for Rotational
Excitation (Transmissibility Functions) Base Excitation

I -
Figure 9. Summation of Transmissibility Functions for Figure 11. Rotational Base Force (Apparent Mass)
Rotational Base Excitation

681