Please recommend a fundamental reference on structural dynamics?

[KernOily]

Guys do you have a recommendation for some fundamental background info in structural dynamics for a dumb ME. I am doing dynamic analysis of process plant piping systems using the CAESAR II software. My two main needs are (1) determine the adequacy of a piping system when subjected to seismic excitation (2) determine the modes/natural frequencies of the system so I can ascertain whether a sinusoidal excitation (e.g., pressure pulses from a reciprocating pump or compressor) will cause resonance and hence large-ampitude displacement of the piping somewhere along one of its unsupported spans.

I had the usual ME traning in vibration fundamentals in college, so I'm familiar with the terms, but I need to know some more of the fundamentals behind structural systems because most of my knowledge is rotating machinery-based.

The CAESAR software will do response specrum analysis and time history analysis for seismic loadings. I need to know what these are and the fundamentals behind them before I go off and just run the software. Garbage in, garbage out... Maybe I can just pick up the knowledge I need from the UBC?

Thanks guys for any help and comments! Thanks!
Pete

 

[Qshake]

The UBC will help you with the design spectrum but won't offer anything on the background of structural dynamics. No code will do that.

My recommendation is for you to look up a new or old copy of the Shock and Vibration Handbook, which I assume is a must for all structural and mechanical libraries...three volumes of theory and chart after chart to help you with applications. That said I believe this is the most application friendly.

Other great references on structural dynamics that I have found of tremendous help are:

Structural Dynamics with Applications in Earthquake Engineering by Anil Chopra

Structural Dynamics: An introduction to Computer Methods by Craig.

I also believe that somewhere I remembered the Army Corp of Engineers having a engineering circular on seismic analysis which dealt with the response of systems like hanging pipes excited through earthquake ground motion.

 

[vanstoja]

Papers by J. Wachel in the Texas A&M Machinery Lab website have much on piping system vibration modes. There's a thread in Fluids and Piping forum , I believe, where Electricpete highlighted a number of the Wachel papers which can be read.