Environmental loading effects on structures

The environment in which a structure vibrates influences its modal characteristics. Presented herein is experimental modal survey test results on splitter vanes under liquid nitrogen mass-pressure-thermal loading. In particular, shifts in modal frequencies are studied via frequency response functions, power spectral densities, isoplots, quadrature or imaginary plots, and vibration mode shape characteristics generated from strain and acceleration measurements. Analyses have shown that while mass loading lowers the frequencies, increased pressure and lower temperature have opposite effect. Thus, pressurization and cooling of a liquid causes the modal frequencies of the structure in which it is contained to shift upward.