Frequency-based decoupling and finite element model updating in vibration of cable–beam systems

Interactions between cable and structure affect the modal properties of cabled structures such as overhead electricity transmission and distribution line systems. Modal properties of a single in-service pole are difficult to determine. A frequency response function of a pole impacted with a modal hammer will contain information about not only the pole but also the conductors and adjacent poles connected thereby. This article presents a generally applicable method to extract modal properties of a single structural element, within an interacting system of cables and structures, with particular application to electricity poles. A scalable experimental lab-scale pole-line consisting of a cantilever beam and stranded cable and a more complex system consisting of three cantilever beams and a stranded cable are used to validate the method. The frequency response function of a cantilever (“pole”) is predicted by substructural decoupling of measured cable dynamics (known frequency response function matrix) from the measured response of the assembled cable–beam system (known frequency response function matrix). Various amounts of sag can be present in the cable. Comparison of the estimated and directly obtained pole frequency response functions show good agreement, demonstrating that the method can be used in cabled structures to obtain modal properties of an individual structural element with the effects of cables and adjacent structural elements filtered out. A frequency response function–based finite element model updating is then proposed to overcome the practical limitation of accessing some components of the real-world system for mounting sensors. Frequency response functions corresponding to inaccessible points are generated based on the measured frequency response functions corresponding to accessible points. The results verify that the frequency response function–based finite element model updating can be used for substructural decoupling of systems in which some essential points, such as coupling points, are inaccessible for direct frequency response function measurement.