ABSTRACT
In characterizing the dynamic response of a system, the frequencies of vibration play a major role. The fundamental frequency of the system is often the quantity of primary interest. A great deal of attention has therefore been devoted to its determination. A particularly effective and simple method of estimating the fundamental frequency is the Rayleigh method described in Chapter 8. In this chapter we present an extension of Rayleigh’s method. Called the Rayleigh-Ritz method, it provides a means of improving the Rayleigh estimate for the fundamental frequency; in addition, it permits the determination of several higher frequencies of vibration.
