ABSTRACT
Numerical procedures are developed to obtain the probability density and statistical moments of the frequency response of a disordered periodic structure. When the number of cells in a disordered chain is small, a direct ensemble-averaging procedure is suitable. When this number is larger, a Monte Carlo simulation procedure is more efficient. The efficiency of the latter procedure lies in its recursive nature, and the time required for implementation increases only linearly with the number of cells. It is found that random variation of the frequency response due to disorder is reduced in the presence of damping; thus, damping and disorder play opposite roles in this regard. In contrast, both damping and disorder cause decay in wave propagation in a disordered chain.
