Stochastic sensitivity analysis of primary-secondary structural systems

Primary-secondary (P-S) system analysis has been widely used in the design and performance evaluation of secondary systems in a vibrational environment. In most cases, it has to be carried out in the face of parametric uncertainties in the P-S system. For example, it is not easy to identify the parameters of an existing structure; furthermore, their values may change due to deterioration and degradation as a structure ages. Sensitivity analysis can thus play an important role in the study of response sensitivity of P-S systems to structural parameter uncertainties. This paper presents a time domain approach to this problem in which a simple decoupled method is suggested by using connection equations to solve sensitivity moment equations associated with a large scale P-S system. Results are compared with exact numerical solutions in both tuned and detuned cases.