equation:

1
I = ⋅ F ⋅ td
2
here I is the area beneath the load function for 0 < t < ta. The equation of
motion for this structure is:
.. .  t  (4.3)
M ⋅ x + K ⋅ x = F ⋅ 1 − 
 td 
If we confine the problem to response for times less than the positive
phase duration, the solution can be written as

F F  sin(ω ⋅ t ) 
x (t ) = ⋅ (1 − cos(ωt )) + ⋅ −t
K K ⋅ td  ω  (4.4)

By limiting analysis to the worst case of response the maximum

dynamic structure displacement, max is required which will occur when the
velocity of the structure is zero. Differentiating eqn (4.4) and setting dx/dt
to zero gives
1 1
0 = ω ⋅ sin(ω ⋅ t m ) + ⋅ cos(ω ⋅ t m ) −
(4.5) td td

In this equation tm is the time at which the displacement reaches xmax

Equation (4.5) may be solved to obtain a relationship of the general form

ω ⋅ t m = f (ω ⋅ t d ) (4.6)

From this it is clear that a similar form of equation can be obtained

for maximum dynamic displacement:
xmax t
=ψ ⋅ (ω ⋅ td ) =ψ '⋅( d ) (4.7)
F K T

where ψ and ψ' are functions of ωtd and td/T, respectively and T is the
natural period of response of the structure. Solutions of this form indicate
that there is a strong relationship between T and td. To proceed further,
consider the relative magnitudes of these quantities.

Positive phase duration and natural period.

Positive phase long compared with natural period.

First consider the situation where td is much longer than T. In the limit the load
may be considered as remaining constant whilst the structure attains the maximun
deflection. For example, this colud be the case for a structure loaded by a blast from a
domestic gas explosion. In this case the maximum displacement Xmax is a solely a
funnction of the peak blast load F and the stiffness K. The structure is seen to have