Rigid and Non-rigid Kinematic Excitation for Multiply-supported System: Once More About the Contribution of Damping to the Dynamic Loads in Seismic Analysis

Development of linear equations of motion for seismic analysis is discussed in the paper. The paper continues the discussion: the author does not agree with colleagues putting damping matrix into the right-hand part of the equation of motion describing dynamic loads. This disagreement refers to the most popular case of “rigid” motion of multiple supports. In this paper the author follows the logic of general “non-rigid” support motion and points out a step in the equation development when the transition to “rigid” support motion (as a particular case of “non-rigid” motion) is spoiled by the opponents. In the author’s opinion, the mistake is in the implementation of the Rayleigh damping model for the right-hand part of the equation. This is in the contradiction with physical logic, as damping in the Rayleigh model is not really “internal”: due to the participation of mass matrix it works on rigid displacements, which is impossible for internal damping.