A Rayleigh-Ritz approach to the synthesis of large structures with rotating flexible components

The equations of motion for large structures with rotating flexible components are derived by regarding the structure as an assemblage of substructures. Based on a stationarity principle for rotating structures, it is shown that each continuous or discrete substructure can be simulated by a suitable set of admissible functions or admissible vectors. This substructure synthesis approach provides a rational basis for truncating the number of degrees of freedom both of each substructure and of the assembled structure.