Damping identification of linear dynamic systems using Common-base Proper Orthogonal Decomposition

This paper presents a novel identification technique of the modal damping of linear systems. It is based on the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) of the free response of the system and extended to the Common-base POD (CPOD) approach. Different initial conditions are applied to the system and the corresponding free responses are considered simultaneously. The CPOD technique leads to a unique vector basis which is likely to contain more information about the dynamics of the system than a vector basis obtained by the classic POD technique, based on one set of initial conditions only. The ability of the technique to estimate the modal damping is demonstrated on a simulated mass-spring-damper system and an experimental system. Good agreement is shown between the damping estimates of the CPOD technique and the ones of the LSCF technique. The advantage and limitations of the present technique are discussed.