Improved Modal Contribution Factors As Response Tracking Mechanisms For Dynamic Systems During Design Optimization

As an industrial practice, complex structures are analyzed under a large set of dynamic operating conditions from which design load cases are selected. During design optimization, response tracking mechanisms based on modal participation factors could lead to large computational savings. In this paper we review the use of static modal participation factors as an inexpensive method to approximate the modal response of a dynamic system and extend the analysis to estimate the peak modal response when the structure is subject to a shock or pulse disturbances. A case study is presented as a proof of concept where the derived approximate peak loads are also estimated.