Efficient computation for dynamic responses of systems with time-varying characteristics

Based on Neumman series and epsilon-algorithm,an efficient computation for dynamic responses of systemswith arbitrary time-varying characteristics is investigated.Avoiding the calculation for the inverses of the equivalentstiffness matrices in each time step, the computation effort ofthe proposed method is reduced compared with the full analysisof Newmark method. The validity and applications ofthe proposed method are illustrated by a 4-DOF spring-masssystem with periodical time-varying stiffness properties anda truss structure with arbitrary time-varying lumped mass. Itshows that good approximate results can be obtained by theproposed method compared with the responses obtained bythe full analysis of Newmark method.