Analog Computer for Nonlinear System With Hysteresis

Structural materials loaded beyond the elastic limit generally display a hysteresis effect such that recovery from maximum deflection proceeds elastically. Assuming a spring-mass model for such a structure to exist, where the stiffness is represented by segments of straight lines, its solution under dynamic excitation still offers sufficient difficulties to welcome a computer technique which will automatically perform this task. This paper describes an electronic analog computer scheme which will carry out such a solution for a unidirectional force excitation.