Dynamic Characteristic Identification

Abstract

This paper introduces a dynamic system parameter extraction approach using experimental data and a known characteristic equation for a single degree of freedom mass-spring-damper system. The efficacy of curve fitting to determine mass, damping, and stiffness for simulated underdamped, critically damped, and overdamped systems is explored. Two methods are investigated to obtain these characteristics for simulated systems; a step response approach in the time domain and a transfer function and dynamic stiffness approach in the frequency domain. Commonly available software, MATLAB, is used for curve fitting. An examination of the effect of inaccurate seeds, or starting values, for mass, damping, and stiffness is included.