A numerical method of calculating first and second derivatives of dynamic response based on Gauss precise time step integration method

This paper describes an accurate and efficient method for calculating the first and second derivatives of dynamic response with respect to design variables for linear structural systems subjected to transient loads. An efficient algorithm to calculate the dynamic responses and their first and second derivatives is formulated based on Gauss precise time step integration method. The algorithm is achieved by direct differentiation and only a single dynamic analysis is required. Several numerical examples are comparatively demonstrated using the new developed method, analytical method, and central difference method. The results show that the new method is highly accurate compared with the analytical approach and is more efficient than the central difference method. (C) 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.