Operational modal analysis with non stationnary inputs

Abstract

Operational modal analysis (OMA) techniques enable the use of in-situ and uncontrolled vibrations to be used to lead modal analysis of structures. In reality operational vibrations are a combination of numerous excitations sources that are much more complex than a random white noise or a harmonic. Numerous OMA techniques exist like SSI, NExT, FDD and BSS. All these methods are based on the fundamental hypothesis that the input or force applied to the structure to be analyzed is a stationary white noise. For some applications this hypothesis is reasonable. However in numerous situations, the analyzed structure is subject to harmonic and transient forces. Numerous methods and research has enabled to develop methods that are robust to such harmonic contributions. To enable OMA during pressure oscillations in solid rocket boosters, the authors propose to consider transient and harmonic inputs no longer as parasites but as the main force applied to the structure that must be analyzed. This is the case during pressure oscillations in rocket boosters. We propose the use of phase analysis adapted to a transient context to conduct operational modal analysis under a harmonic transient input. This time-based novel OMA method will be exposed. The theoretical developments and algorithmic implementations are exposed. First tests have been conducted on laboratory single degree of freedom setup to validate this new OMA technique and are reported here.