Concerning an Application of Direct Integration Methods in Mechanics of Constructions

In this paper attention is focused on the dynamics of a linear structure subjected to periodic forces. The structural dynamics equation can be solved using frequency analysis methods or step-wise integration methods. Although these approaches are easy to implement, the resulting analysis can be very time consuming for systems involving several hundred degrees of freedom. Variable step integrators make adjustments to control stability and accuracy which can require very small integration steps. Consequently, less sophisticated formulations employing fixed step-size are often employed. The paper investigates two such algorithms in the particular case of a machine tool fitted out with a dynamic damper. A program to solve the above mentioned problem was developed and questions regarding computational efficiency and numerical accuracy of these algorithms are examined.