Power flow through multidimensional compliant joints using mobility and modal approaches

An analytical framework, based on the refinements to the mobility and modal approaches, is proposed to calculate the structural power flow through multidimensional compliant joints or connections. The built‐up assembly is divided into the classical model of a noise control problem, i.e., source, path (joint), and receiver. Both methods place emphasis on the joint properties and account for different paths and mechanisms of noise transmission (e.g., forces and moments). Only the discrete system formulation is considered and results obtained via exact (unsynthesized) and the proposed component synthesis procedures perfectly match with each other. The mobility method is found to be useful for distinguishing which path (joint) transmits power and the complementary modal method yields information on the newly defined modal dissipation efficiencies. Finally the issues of scalar versus vector joints and rigid versus compliant connections are addressed by using a pedagogical example of a 10 degrees‐of‐freedom system.