A Linearised Hybrid FE-SEA Method for Nonlinear Dynamic Systems Excited by Random and Harmonic Loadings

The present paper proposes a linearised hybrid finite element-statistical energy analysis (FE-SEA) formulation for built-up systems with nonlinear joints and excited by random, as well as harmonic, loadings. The new formulation was validated via an ad-hoc developed stochastic benchmark model. The latter was derived through the combination of the Lagrange-Rayleigh-Ritz method (LRRM) and the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). Within the build-up plate systems, each plate component was modelled by using the classical Kirchhoff’s thin-plate theory. The linearisation processes were carried out according to the loading-type. In the case of random loading, the statistical linearisation (SL) was employed, while, in the case of harmonic loading, the method of harmonic balance (MHB) was used. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid FE-SEA formulation, three different case studies, made-up of built-up systems with localized cubic nonlinearities, were considered. Both translational and torsional springs, as joint components, were employed. Four different types of loadings were taken into account: harmonic/random point and distributed loadings. The response of the dynamic systems was investigated in terms of ensemble average of the time-averaged energy.