§5.

3 Linear acceleration/time-stepping/step-by-step method for

calculating nonlinear motion of multi-degree of freedom system
It is suitable for both linear and nonlinear systems, as well as coupling
linear vibration equation.

It should be noted that this is a conditional stability method, so the time-

step length needs to meet the condition below, to insure the convergence
and accuracy of integral result.
Tmin
t 
10
5.3.1 . Incremental equation of motion for MoF system
 (t )  C Y
M Y  (t )  K Y (t )  F (t ) or  MU
 (t )
0 0 p g

C, K use the initial tangent values, so the subscripts are indicated

using 0.
5.3.2 Linear acceleration/time-stepping/step-by-step method for
calculating nonlinear motion of multi-degree of freedom system

Basic assumption: the structural acceleration linearly changes in the


time interval[t+Δt],that is, Y  (t )   Y(t ) 
 (t   )  Y
t
The basic steps of the linear acceleration method:

(1) Give the time step length Δt , or initial calculations;

(2) Using the initial condition


Y(0), Y(0) and through the equation of
motion, determine the initial acceleration  (0)
Y

(3) Calculate initial viscous damping coefficient and stiffness

C (0) and K (0)

(4) Calculate quasi-static stiffness K* using Eq. (T-5)

6 3
K*  2
M  CK
t t
(5) Calculate quasi-incremental load in the 1st step Fp* (t )
6   (t )   t Y
 (t )]  C[3Y  (t )]
Fp* (t )  Fp (t )  M[
Y ( t )  3Y
t 2
(6) Calculate the incremental displacement Y (t )  (K * ) 1 F p* (t )

 3  1 
(7) Calculate the incremental velocity Y(t)  (Y(t)  Y(t)t  Y(t)t2 )
t 6
(8) From  (t )  Y
Y ( t )  Y (0)   Y (( t ), Y  (0)   Y
 (t )
obtain the displacement and velocity at time t=Δt;
(9) Determine the damping force and restoring force F D (t ), F s (t )
at time t=Δt using the velocity and displacement in (8), as well as determine
the acceleration at this time.

(10) Determine the damping and stiffness matrixes C and K taking the
displacement, velocity and acceleration at t=Δt as “initial values”, and then re-
calculate the quasi-stiffness and so on. Repeatedly, calculate the later
structural response from the former one, until obtain the structural response
in the whole time history.
5.3.3 Wilson-θ Method
The Wilson-θ Method was proposed to overcome the shortcoming, conditional
stability, of linear acceleration/time-stepping/step-by-step method. It is famous
and widely used. The Wilson-θ Method improves the linear acceleration
method through:

(1) Assume the parameter θ≥1. Then, the linear change of the acceleration
within Δt is set as the variable τ changes within [0, θ Δt]；

  ( t )
Y
 ( t   )  Y
Y  ( t )  
t
(2) Assume the equivalent disturbing force at time θ Δt could be got by the
extension of ΔF, that is,

F E (t  t )  FE (t )   (F E (t  t )  F E (t ))
Then, adopt the deduction similar to the linear acceleration method to
obtain all the calculation formulas.
Wilson-θ method’s basic steps:

(1) Form mass, damping and stiffness matrixes M, C and K;

(2) Determine the initial displacement, velocity and acceleration

vectors Y(0) , Y  (0) and Y  (0) ;
(3) Set integral stepping length Δt and parameter value θ (≥1.37, usually
1.4); then, calculate the constant values:
6 3 t a0
a0  , a 1  , a 2  2 a 1 , a 3  , a 4  ,
(  t ) 2 t 2 
a2 3t (t )2
a5  , a6  1  , a7  , a8 
  2 6

(4) Calculate the quasi-stiffness K *  a 0 M  a1 C  K

(5) Calculate the quasi-load,

F E* ( t    t )  F E ( t )   a 0  F E ( t )  M [ a 0 Y ( t )  a 2 Y ( t )  2 Y
 ( t )] 
C [ a Y ( t )  2 Y ( t )  a Y
1 3
 ( t )]
(6) Calculate the displacement at time t +θΔt

Y ( t    t )  K *  1 F E* ( t    t )
(7) Calculate the displacement, velocity and acceleration at time t+Δt

 ( t   t )  a [ Y ( t    t )  Y ( t )]  a Y ( t )  a Y
Y  ( t )
4 5 6

Y ( t   t )  Y ( t )  a 7 [ Y
 ( t   t )  Y  ( t )]
Y ( t   t )  Y ( t )   t Y ( t )  a [ Y
8
 ( t   t )  2 Y
 ( t )]

(8) Taking the state vectors as initial values, re-calculate quasi-static load and
then determine the vectors at next state. Repeat the calculating process until
obtain the whole history of structural response.
The explanation of Wilson-θ method:

(1) Wilson-θ method is unconditionally stable algorithm.

(2) Wilson-θ method can increase “structural algorithm damping”, and result
in the reduction of vibration amplitude and the increase of vibration period.
(3) Transcending phenomenon could be taken placed when too large stepping
length.
(4) It also needs to improve calculating accuracy by reducing the stepping
length.

Suggestion: Using both linear acceleration method and Wilson-θ method,

calculate Example 16.1 in Chopra’s book.
§5.4 Newmark-β method for single-degree-of-freedom structure

Increment equation:

Where parameters β and γ define the variation of acceleration within

Δt, and govern accuracy and stability. For γ=1/2 （linear acceleration
method）and 1/6 ≤ β ≤ 1/4 （average acceleration method