CEE 3344a –Structural Dynamics I 1

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO - FACULTY OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

CEE 3344A –Structural Dynamics I – Sept. 2014

Students are introduced to concepts of structural dynamics and the response of civil engineering structures to
time-varying loads, including those due to wind and earthquakes. This requires the extension of structural
theory to include the effects of the mass and damping and to evaluate the action of various deterministic and
random dynamic loads. The importance of dynamic loads in the design of dynamically sensitive civil
engineering structures, such as tall buildings, towers and chimneys and long span bridges is examined and
their treatment in the National Building Code of Canada is reviewed. Topics includes:
 Equation of motion of single-degree-of-freedom systems;
 Free and forced vibrations;
 Response spectra;
 Numerical evaluation of dynamic response;
 Generalised single-degree-of-freedom systems;
 Rayleigh’s method;

Calendar Copy:
Students are introduced to concepts of structural dynamics and the response of civil engineering structures
to time-varying loads, including those due to wind and earthquakes. Topics include: the effects of the
mass and damping; random dynamic loads; the design of dynamically sensitive structures that can be
approximated as a (generalized) single-degree-of-freedom system.

Antirequisite(s): CEE 4490

Prerequisite(s): CEE 2221A/B

Corequisite(s): CEE 3340A/B

Contact Hours:
2 lecture hours per week; 2 tutorial hours per week. Attendance at the tutorial session is mandatory.

Instructor:
TBA; Admin. Support: Room 3005

Textbook:
Prepared class notes should be brought to each class, and may be purchased at the UWO bookstore
(purchase required).
Chopra, A.K., Dynamics of Structures, Theory and Applications to Earthquake Engineering, Prentice Hall,
(3rd edition) 2006. (purchase required).
CEE 3344a –Structural Dynamics I 2

Other References:
Tedesco, J.W., McDougal, W. G., and Ross, C.A. “Structural Dynamics”, ddison-Wesley
Humar, J. L. “Dynamics of structures”, Balkema, 2005.
Clough, Penzien, "Dynamics of Structures", McGraw-Hill, 1993
M. Paz, "Structural Dynamics", Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., 1985.
Hurty, Rubinstein, "Dynamics of Structures", Prentice-Hall, 1964
Biggs, "Introduction to Structural Dynamics", McGraw-Hill, 1964
Units:
SI units will be used in lectures and examinations

Specific Learning Objectives:

1. Equation of motion of single-degree-of-freedom systems. At the end of this section, the student
should able to:
a) Understand the concept of damping, mass stiffness and motion, and their relation
b) Idealise the motion and derive mathematical description of motion

2. Free and forced vibrations of single-degree-of-freedom. At the end of this section, the student
should able to apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering to:
a) Solve the differential equation of motion, and describe free vibration
b) Find natural frequency, and resonant response
c) Differentiate between the responses of undamped and damped vibration
d) Calculate response to harmonic and periodic excitation, transmissibility
e) Understand human response to vibrations
f) Calculate response to arbitrary, step and pulse excitations using Duhamel’s integral

3. Numerical evaluation of dynamic response. At the end of this section, the student should recognise
the need of using numerical methods in dynamics of structures. The student should able to compute
the dynamic response by implementing the following in spreadsheet
a) Method based on interpolation of excitation
b) Central difference method
c) Newmark’s method, Wilson’s method

4. Response spectra.
a) Understand the response spectrum concept
b) Identify the relations between deformation, pseudo-velocity and pseudo-acceleration spectra
c) Recognise the difference between design and response spectra
d) Design simple structures using response spectra
CEE 3344a –Structural Dynamics I 3

5. Generalised single-degree-of-freedom systems and Rayleigh’s method

a) Understand the representation of motion in generalised coordinate
b) Idealise and draw the shape function
c) Derive and solve equation of motion for continuous beam subject to lateral force, and support
motion
d) Derive and solve equation of motion lumped mass system
e) Calculate frequencies using Rayleigh’s method
Instructors may expand on material presented in the course as appropriate

Evaluation:
The final course mark will be determined as follows:
Weekly problems, assignments, 30%
Quiz, 20%
Final Examination, 50%

Total 100%

Note:
Students must pass the final examination to pass this course. Students who do not satisfy this requirement
will be assigned the aggregated mark as determined above, or 48%, whichever is less.

Quiz and Examination:

One 1-hour quiz (closed book) will be held during the year in the tutorial period. A three-hour final
examination final examination will be held during the examination periods. The schedules of quiz is to be
determined. Students should consult the list of approved calculators outside the Office of the Department of
Civil and Environmental Engineering. Only approved calculators may be used.

The quiz and the final examination will be CLOSED BOOK: approved handheld programmable calculators
are allowed, but NO other external sources of information, including books, notes or crib sheets, are
permitted.

Assignments:
Weekly problems are assigned during lectures and the solutions are discussed and reviewed in detail during
the tutorial session. Also, there are four assignments besides the weekly problems for the full year. They will
be marked and returned. Late assignment will receive a grade of zero. Extensions are to be negotiated with
the course instructors, not the teaching assistants.

Use of English:
In accordance with Senate and Faculty Policy, students may be penalised up to 10% of the marks on all
assignments, tests, and examinations for the improper use of English. Additionally, poorly written work
with the exception of the final examination may be returned without grading. If resubmission of the work is
permitted, it may be graded with marks deducted for poor English and/or late submission.
CEE 3344a –Structural Dynamics I 4

Cheating:
University policy states that cheating is a scholastic offence. The commission of a scholastic offence is
attended by academic penalties that might include expulsion from the program. If you are caught cheating,
there will be no second warning.
For more information on scholastic offenses, please see:
http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf

Attendance:
Any student who, in the opinion of the instructor, is absent too frequently from class, laboratory, or tutorial
periods will be reported to the Dean (after due warning has been given). On the recommendation of the
Department concerned, and with the permission of the Dean, the student will be debarred from taking the
regular final examination in the course.

Conduct:
Students are expected to arrive at lecture on time, and to conduct themselves during class in a professional
and respectful manner that is not disruptive to others.

Sickness and Other Problems:

Students should immediately consult with the instructor of Department have any problem that could affect
their performance in the course. Where appropriate, the problems should be documented (see attached).
The student should seek advice from the Instructor or Department Chair regarding how best to deal with the
problem. Failure to notify the Instructor or Department Chair immediately (or as soon as possible
thereafter) will have a negative effect on any appeal.

Notice:
Students are responsible for regularly checking their e-mail and notices posted outside the Civil and
Environmental Engineering Department Office.

Consultation:
Students are encouraged to discuss problems with their teaching assistant and/or instructor in tutorial
sessions. Office hours will be arranged for the students to see the instructor and teaching assistants. Other
individual consultation can be arranged by appointment with the appropriate instructor.

Course Breakdown: Engineering Science = %%; Engineering Design = %%; Science = %%.

The attached document “INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS UNABLE TO WRITE TESTS OR

EXAMINATIONS OR SUBMIT ASSIGNMENTS AS SCHEDULED” is part of this course outline.