Study on the dynamics problems of truss structure with joints

In this paper, the dynamics problems of truss structure with joints are researched by using the spectral element method (SEM), and effects of joints on the dynamics behavior of the truss structure are analyzed, thus expanding application fields of the SEM. The joint structure is considered as a spectral element in the frequency domain. The dynamics stiffness matrices of the joint, rod and beam elements are established respectively. The dynamics stiffness matrix of the whole structure is obtained by integrating the dynamics stiffness matrices of the joint, rod and beam elements, and the dynamics equation of the whole structure is further established. The natural frequencies, frequency response curves and time domain responses of the structure are obtained by the calculation of the dynamics equation of the whole structure. The results calculated by the SEM are compared with the corresponding results obtained by the finite element method. From the numerical results, it is seen that the dynamics problems of truss structure with joints can be accurately solved by the SEM, and the joints have obvious influence on the dynamics behaviors of the truss structure.