Experimental validation of the direct transmissibility approach to classical transfer path analysis on a mechanical setup

Abstract Transmissibility functions have received renewed interest given the important role they play in operational modal analysis and operational transfer path analysis. However, transmissibilities can also be used in the framework of classical transmission path analysis. This avoids some of the problems associated to the latter, such as the measurement of operational loads, or the need to remove the active parts of the system to measure frequency response functions. The key of the transmissibility approach to classical transfer path analysis relies on the notion of direct or blocked transmissibilities, which can be computed from standard measurable transmissibilities. The response at any degree of freedom to a system external load can then be decomposed in terms of the remaining degrees of freedom responses and the system direct transmissibilities. Although the theory supporting this approach has been known for long, no experimental validation test has been reported to date. It is the purpose of this paper to provide such a test by applying the method to a simple mechanical system for which an analytical solution can be derived. For different configurations, it will be shown that direct transmissibilities computed from measured transmissibilities compare fairly well with analytical results. This opens the door to apply the method to more complex situations of practical interest with confidence.