MDOF-Holzer's Method

Holzer’s method derives its equation by using method of section and treating all elements above the cut spring element a rigid body. The equilibrium equation is then developed to complete the derivation.

Holzer’s method solves for the first mode of vibration. It is an iterative method that requires us to assume the value of natural frequency before each trial. For each of these trials, we determine the normalized displacement for each degree of freedom in top-down sequence. When we obtain the displacement of the base, we need to ensure either it is equal to zero, or the error from zero is small enough to neglect. Only then, the calculation is considered complete, and we may proceed with determining the natural frequency of the system. By constructing a table, we can ease the calculation process for Holzer’s method.

The following shows the derivation and application of Holzer's method. Watch the video above for full details.