DYNAMICS OF STRUCTURES WITH APPLICATION TO EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING
Academic Year 2025/2026 - Teacher: FRANCESCO CANNIZZAROExpected Learning Outcomes
The course covers the fundamentals of Structural Dynamics and examines its applications in earthquake engineering and structural design. A considerable effort shall be made for the course to be accessible by students and easily comprehensible. The algebra used in the course shall be as simple as possible, given the complexity of the subject. The analytic procedures will be synthesized so that the path to the solution becomes evident and can therefore be implemented by the student. Real world applications shall be considered, where the physical interpretation of the obtained results will be highlighted.
Course Structure
The course includes both theoretical and practical lessons with the help of computer tools. During the course exercises that involve the use of the matlab software will be assigned. The course will take place in presence.
Required Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of programming tools and in particular in the matlab environment is essential.
Attendance of Lessons
Attendance at lessons is mandatory as it is consistent with the proposed training model which aims to encourage gradual learning active participation of the student in class, dialogue between teachers and students.
Detailed Course Content
- SINGLE DEGREE OF FREEDOM SYSTEMS
- Equations of motion, problem statement, solution methods.
- Free vibration.
- Response to harmonic and periodic excitations.
- Response to arbitrary, step and pulse excitations
- Numerical evaluation of dynamic response.
- Earthquake response of linear systems.
- Elastic spectrum
MULTI-DEGREE OF FREEDOM SYSTEMS
- Equations of motion, problem statement, solution methods.
- Free vibration.
- Damping in structures.
- Dynamic analysis and response of linear systems.
- Earthquake analysis of linear systems.
- An introduction to Earthquake analysis of inelastic systems.
Textbook Information
- Anil K. Chopra, Dynamics of Structures: Theory and Applications to Earthquake Engineering, Prentice-Hall.
- Ray W. Clough and Joseph Penzien, Dynamics of Structures, McGraw-Hill.
Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Linear and nonlinear dynamics of single- and multi-degree of freedom systems | Anil K. Chopra, Dynamics of Structures: Theory and Applications to Earthquake Engineering, Prentice-Hall. |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
The course will take place over two semesters which include six credits in the first semester and six credits in the second. There will be ongoing tests which will be preparatory for the final oral exam. During the course, exercises will be assigned in order to improve the learning process of the topics covered.
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
The main topics of the course concern:
- the determination of the response of systems with many degrees of freedom subject to seismic excitations with one and more degrees of freedom.
- the response spectra.
- The methods of numerical integration of equations of motions.
- Systems with lumped and distributed parameters.
- modal analysis