Chapter 2:

Modal Analysis

ANSYS Mechanical
Dynamics

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Modal Analysis

Training Manual

A. Define modal analysis and its purpose.

B. Discuss associated concepts, terminology, and mode extraction
methods.
C. Learn how to do a modal analysis in Workbench.
D. Work on one or two modal analysis exercises.

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Description & Purpose

Training Manual

A modal analysis is a technique used to determine the vibration

characteristics of structures:
natural frequencies
at what frequencies the structure would tend to naturally vibrate

mode shapes
in what shape the structure would tend to vibrate at each frequency

mode participation factors

the amount of mass that participates in a given direction for each mode

Most fundamental of all the dynamic analysis types.

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Description & Purpose

Training Manual

Benefits of modal analysis

Allows the design to avoid resonant vibrations or to vibrate at a
specified frequency (speaker box, for example).
Gives engineers an idea of how the design will respond to different
types of dynamic loads.
Helps in calculating solution controls (time steps, etc.) for other
dynamic analyses.
Recommendation: Because a structures vibration characteristics
determine how it responds to any type of dynamic load, it is generally
recommended to perform a modal analysis first before trying any other
dynamic analysis.

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Description & Purpose

Terminology

Training Manual

A mode refers to the pair of one

natural frequency and
corresponding mode shape.

mode 1
{}1
f1 = 109 Hz

A structure can have any number of

modes, up to the number of DOF in
the model.

mode 2
{}2
f2 = 202 Hz

mode 3
{}3
f3 = 249 Hz

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Theory

Assumptions & Restrictions

Training Manual

The structure is linear (i.e. constant stiffness and mass).

There is no damping.
Damped eigensolvers (MODOPT,DAMP or MODOPT,QRDAMP) may be
accessed using Commands Objects, but will not be covered here.

The structure has no time varying forces, displacements, pressures,

or temperatures applied (free vibration).

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Theory

Development

Training Manual

Start with the linear general equation of motion:

M u C u K u F
Assume free vibrations, and ignore damping:

0
0
M u C u K u F
M u K u 0
Assume harmonic motion:

u
u
u
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i sin it i

i i cos i t i
i2 i sin i t i
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Theory

Development

Training Manual

Substitute and simplify

M u K u 0
i2 M i sin i t i K i sin i t i 0
i2 M K i 0
This equality is satisfied if i = 0 (trivial, implies no vibration) or if

det K i2 M 0
This is an eigenvalue problem which may be solved for up to n
eigenvalues, i2, and n eigenvectors, i, where n is the number of
DOF.
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Theory

Extraction & Normalization

Training Manual

Note that the equation

det K M 0
2
i

has one more unknown than equations; therefore, an additional

equation is needed to find a solution.
The addition equation is provided by mode shape normalization.

Mode shapes can be normalized either to the mass matrix

M i 1
T
i

or to unity, where the largest component of the vector {}i is set to 1.

Workbench displays results normalized to the mass matrix.
Because of this normalization, only the shape of the DOF solution
has real meaning.
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Theory

Eigenvalues & Eigenvectors

Training Manual

The square roots of the eigenvalues

are i, the structures natural
circular frequencies (rad/s).

mode 1
{}1
f1 = 109 Hz

Natural frequencies fi can then

calculated as fi = i/2 (cycles/s).
mode 2
{}2
f2 = 202 Hz

It is the natural frequencies, fi in Hz,

that are input by the user and output
by Workbench.

The eigenvectors {}i represent the

mode shapes, i.e. the shape
assumed by the structure when
vibrating at frequency fi.

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mode 3
{}3
f3 = 249 Hz

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Theory

Equation Solvers
The equation

Training Manual

det K M 0
2
i

can be solved using one of two solvers available in Workbench

Mechanical:
Direct (Block Lanczos)
To find many modes (about 40+) of large models.
Performs well when the model consists of shells or a combination of shells and
solids.
Uses the Lanczos algorithm where the Lanczos recursion is performed with a
block of vectors. Uses the sparse matrix solver.

Iterative (PCG Lanczos)

To find few modes (up to about 100) of very large models (500,000+ DOFs).
Performs well when the lowest modes are sought for models that are
dominated by well-shaped 3-D solid elements.
Uses the Lanczos algorithm, combined with the PCG iterative solver.

In most cases, the Program Controlled option selects the optimal

solver automatically.
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Theory

Participation Factors (Solution Information)

Training Manual

The participation factors are calculated by

i i M D
T

where {D} is an assumed unit displacement spectrum in each of the global

Cartesian directions and rotation about each of these axes.
This measures the amount of mass moving in each direction for each mode.
The Ratio is simply another list of participation factors, normalized to the largest.

The concept of participation factors will be important in later chapters.

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Theory

Participation Factors (Solution Information)

Training Manual

A high value in a direction indicates that the mode will be excited by forces in
that direction.
mode 1

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mode 3

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mode 5

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Theory

Effective Mass (Solution Information)

Training Manual

Also printed out is the effective mass.

M eff ,i

i2
T
2

,
if

i
i M i 1
T
i M i

Ideally, the sum of the effective masses in each direction should equal total
mass of structure, but will depend on the number of modes extracted.
The ratio of effective mass to total mass can be useful for determining
whether or not a sufficient number of modes have been extracted.

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Theory

Prestress Effects

Training Manual

A prestressed modal analysis can be used to calculate the

frequencies and mode shapes of a prestressed structure, such as a
spinning turbine blade.
The prestress influences the stiffness of the structure through the stressstiffening matrix contribution.

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Theory

Prestress Effects

Training Manual

In free vibration with prestress analyses, two solutions are required.

A linear static analysis is initially performed:

K u F
Based on the stress state [] from the static analysis, a stress stiffness
matrix [S] is calculated (see Theory Reference for details):

S
The free vibration with pre-stress analysis is then solved, including the
[S] term:

K S M 0
2
i

Note that the prestress only affects the stiffness of the system.
i.e. the static prestress will not be added to the modal stress
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Remarks & Comments

Contact Regions

Training Manual

Contact regions are available in modal analysis; however, since this

is a purely linear analysis, contact behavior will differ for the
nonlinear contact types, as shown below:
Linear Dynamic Analysis
Contact Type

Static Analysis

Bonded

Initially Touching

Inside Pinball Region

Outside Pinball
Region

Bonded

Bonded

Bonded

Free

No Separation

No Separation

No Separation

No Separation

Free

Rough

Rough

Bonded

Free

Free

Frictionless

Frictionless

No Separation

Free

Free

Frictional

Frictional

Free

Free

= 0, No Separation
> 0, Bonded

Contact behavior will reduce to its linear counterparts.

It is generally recommended, however, not to use a nonlinear contact
type in a linear-dynamic analysis
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Remarks & Comments

Unconstrained Systems

Training Manual

An unconstrained system is one that has no constraints or supports

and can move as a rigid body in at least one direction.
Rigid-body motion can be considered to be a mode of oscillation with
zero frequency.
In practice, these modes may not have a frequency of exactly zero.

rigid-body
or
zero modes

Note that a well-connected system can have at most six rigid-body

modes.
Obtaining more than six rigid-body modes may indicate that assemblies
are not well connected.
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Remarks & Comments

Symmetry Boundary Conditions

Training Manual

Symmetry BCs will only produce symmetrically shaped modes, so

some modes can be missed.
It may be necessary to apply several different symmetry conditions to
find all modes.
The full model below results in the frequencies listed in the tabular view.
A quarter-symmetry model will require three sets of symmetry boundary
conditions to find all modes (see next slide)...

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Remarks & Comments

Symmetry Boundary Conditions

Training Manual

Symm-Asym BC

Full Model
Symmetry BC

etc

Anti-Symmetry BC

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Procedure:
Modal

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Modal

Procedure

Training Manual

Drop a Modal (ANSYS) system into the project schematic.

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Modal

Procedure

Training Manual

Create new geometry, or link to

existing geometry.

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Edit the Model cell to bring up the

Mechanical application.

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Modal

Preprocessing

Training Manual

Verify materials, connections, and mesh settings.

This was covered in Workbench Mechanical Intro.

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Modal

Preprocessing

Training Manual

Add supports to the model.

Displacement constrains must have a magnitude of zero.

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Modal

Solution Settings

Training Manual

Choose the number of modes to

extract.
If needed, upper and lower bounds
on frequency may be specified to
extract the modes within a specified
range.

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Modal

Solution Settings

Training Manual

Stress and strain results may be

turned on under Output Controls.
If the Program-Controlled solver
selection is not appropriate, the
solver type can be changed to either
Direct or Iterative.

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Modal

Postprocessing

Training Manual

Total-deformation results may be

quickly inserted by highlighting
multiple rows in the tabular view or
histogram view.

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Modal

Postprocessing

Training Manual

If stress/strain were requested, these results may also be access from the
Solution Toolbar.

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Procedure:
Prestressed Modal

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Prestressed Modal

Procedure

Training Manual

The procedure to do a prestressed

modal analysis is essentially the
same as a regular modal analysis,
except that you first need to
prestress the structure by doing a
static analysis.
The static analysis results in a
stressed structure, which is used as
the initial condition for the modal
analysis.

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Prestressed Modal

Procedure

Training Manual

Drop a Static Structural (ANSYS) system into the project schematic.

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Prestressed Modal

Procedure

Training Manual

Drop a Modal (ANSYS) system onto

the Solution cell of the Modal
system.

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Note the circular-ended connector,

indicating a data transfer from the
Static to the Modal analysis.

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Prestressed Modal

Procedure

Training Manual

Create new geometry, or link to

existing geometry.
Edit the Model cell to bring up the
Mechanical application.

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Prestressed Modal

Preprocessing

Training Manual

In the Static Structural system, insert the loads and supports that will cause
the prestressed-state to occur.

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Prestressed Modal

Postprocessing

Training Manual

Review the static results before

proceeding.

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Prestressed Modal

Preprocessing

Training Manual

Workbench will automatically setup

the data transfer between the
systems.

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To verify the data transfer, one can

ensure that
Future Analysis is set to Prestressed
analysis in the Static Structural
system
Pre-Stress Environment is set to
Static Structural in the Modal system

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Prestressed Modal

Postprocessing

Training Manual

The modal results may be reviewed as described in the previous section.

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Prestressed Modal

Postprocessing

Training Manual

Note that the prestressed state increased the frequencies of this structure.
e.g. the first mode in this example increased from 108.3 Hz to 274.6 Hz
Not Prestressed

Prestressed

A prestress may not always increase the natural frequencies; a compressive

load will decrease the frequencies.
In fact, a sufficiently-high compressive load will result in a natural frequency of
zero, effectively replicating the results of a buckling analysis.
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D. Workshop - Modal Analysis

Training Manual

This workshop consists of two problems:

1. Modal analysis of a plate with a hole
A step-by-step description of how to do the analysis.
You may choose to run this problem yourself, or your instructor may
show it as a demonstration.
(WS2A: Modal Analysis - Plate with a Hole).

2. Pre-stressed Modal analysis of a model airplane wing

This is left as an exercise to you.
(WS2B: Modal Analysis - Model Airplane Wing).

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