A unified set of single step algorithms part 3: The beta-m method, a generalization of the Newmark scheme

Introduced herein is a generalization of Newmark's time marching integration scheme, called the β-m method. Like the SSpj method (introduced in Parts 1 and 2 of this series), the β-m method provides a gcneral single-step scheme applicable to any set of initial value problems. The method is specialized by specifying the method order m along with rn integration parameters, β0, β1, …, βm−1. For a particular choice of m, the integration parameters provide a subfamily of methods which control accuracy and stability, as well as offering options for explicit or implicit algorithms. For the most part, attention is focused on the application to structural dynamic equations. Most well-known methods (e.g. Newmark, Wilson, Houbolt, etc.) are shown to be special cases within the β-m family. Hence, one computationally efficient and surprisingly simple algorithm unifies old and new methods. Stability and accuracy analyses are presented for method orders m = 2, 3 and 4 to determine optimal parameters for implicit and explicit schemes, along with numerical verification.