01 / Reading Guide
Reading Guide
Citation
Chopra, A. K. (2022). Dynamics of Structures: Theory and Applications to Earthquake Engineering (6th ed.). Pearson.
Chapter Summary
The book has 24 chapters in three parts, followed by an appendix on the frequency-domain method of response analysis, a notation list and answers to selected problems. The parts move from one-degree-of-freedom systems to many-degree-of-freedom systems and then to the earthquake analysis, design and evaluation of buildings. The publisher counts over 125 worked-out examples and 600 figures, with photographs of structural motion during earthquakes.
Part I: Single-Degree-of-Freedom Systems
Chapter 1: Equations of Motion, Problem Statement, and Solution Methods
Sets up the equation of motion for the simplest structural model and states the dynamic-analysis problem and the methods used to solve it.
Chapters 2–5: Free Vibration; Response to Harmonic and Periodic Excitations; Response to Arbitrary, Step, and Pulse Excitations; Numerical Evaluation of Dynamic Response
The response of a single-degree-of-freedom system is built up in order of increasing generality: free vibration, harmonic and periodic loading, arbitrary, step and pulse loading, and then numerical methods for evaluating the response.
Chapters 6–7: Earthquake Response of Linear Systems; Earthquake Response of Inelastic Systems
Applies the single-degree-of-freedom theory to ground motion, first for linear systems and then for inelastic ones. The sixth edition adds a section in Chapter 6 on modern methods for constructing earthquake design spectra for a site.
Chapter 8: Generalized Single-Degree-of-Freedom Systems
Extends the single-degree-of-freedom model to systems that can be reduced to one generalized coordinate.
Part II: Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Systems
Chapters 9–12: Equations of Motion, Problem Statement, and Solution Methods; Free Vibration; Damping in Structures; Dynamic Analysis and Response of Linear Systems
Repeats the structure of Part I for systems with many degrees of freedom: equations of motion, free vibration, a chapter on damping in structures, and the dynamic analysis and response of linear systems.
Chapters 13–16: Earthquake Analysis of Linear Systems; Analysis of Nonclassically Damped Linear Systems; Reduction of Degrees of Freedom; Numerical Evaluation of Dynamic Response
Covers earthquake analysis of multi-degree-of-freedom linear systems, systems whose damping does not fit the classical form, ways of reducing the number of degrees of freedom, and numerical evaluation of response.
Chapters 17–18: Systems with Distributed Mass and Elasticity; Introduction to the Finite Element Method
Moves from discrete models to systems with distributed mass and elasticity, and introduces the finite element method.
Part III: Earthquake Response, Design, and Evaluation of Multistory Buildings
Chapters 19–20: Earthquake Response of Linearly Elastic Buildings; Earthquake Analysis and Response of Inelastic Buildings
Applies the multi-degree-of-freedom theory to multistory buildings, first linearly elastic and then inelastic. The publisher notes that recent research on modeling damping in nonlinear response history analysis of buildings is integrated into Chapter 20.
Chapter 21: Earthquake Dynamics of Base-Isolated Buildings
Treats the dynamics of base-isolated buildings; the sixth edition includes data from testing of isolators.
Chapter 22: Earthquake Dynamics of Building–Soil Interaction
New in the sixth edition. It introduces an advanced topic and explains the methods that building codes prescribe for including soil-structure interaction in building design.
Chapters 23–24: Structural Dynamics in Building Codes; Structural Dynamics in Building Evaluation Guidelines
Connects the theory to building codes and to evaluation guidelines. The sixth edition includes the current editions of the codes of the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Eurocode.
Key Concepts
Part I: Single-degree-of-freedom systems (Chapters 1–8)
- Equation of motion: the governing equation that defines the dynamic problem, introduced in Chapter 1.
- Response to excitations: how a system responds to free vibration, harmonic and periodic loading, and arbitrary, step and pulse loading.
- Earthquake response and design spectra: response of linear and inelastic systems to ground motion.
- Generalized single-degree-of-freedom systems: models reducible to one coordinate.
Part II: Multi-degree-of-freedom systems (Chapters 9–18)
- Damping in structures: how damping is described, with a separate treatment of nonclassically damped systems.
- Reduction of degrees of freedom: simplifying a model by removing degrees of freedom.
- Distributed mass and elasticity; finite element method: continuous-system models and their numerical treatment.
Part III: Buildings (Chapters 19–24)
- Inelastic building response: nonlinear response history analysis of buildings.
- Base isolation: isolating a building from ground motion.
- Soil-structure interaction: how the supporting soil affects building response.
- Building codes and evaluation guidelines: the link between dynamics and code practice.
Critical Analysis
Strengths
- No prior structural dynamics assumed. The publisher states that the subject is presented as simply as possible, with enough detail for self-study.
- A dense set of worked examples. The publisher cites over 125 worked-out examples and 600 figures, and says analytical procedures summarize key steps so they can be replicated.
- Physical insight and real structures. The hallmark features include comparing structural idealizations with the properties of real structures and an emphasis on physical insight into analytical procedures, with photographs of structural motion during earthquakes.
- Complete route to practice. The three parts run from single-degree-of-freedom theory through building response to building codes and evaluation guidelines, so a reader can follow one subject from first principles to code use.
Limitations
- Earthquake-oriented. The title and Part III focus on earthquake engineering; the table of contents has no chapters on other dynamic loadings such as wind.
- Late arrival of building design. Part III follows both Parts I and II, so the earthquake design of buildings comes late in a 24-chapter sequence.
- Code chapters tied to editions. Chapter 23 covers the current editions of the United States, Canadian, Mexican and Eurocode provisions as of this edition, so readers working under later code revisions will need to consult the newer documents.
Where It Fits in the Course
Chopra is the specialist dynamics text in this course list. Hibbeler's Structural Analysis and Megson's Structural and Stress Analysis cover the static analysis of structures, and McGuire, Gallagher and Ziemian's Matrix Structural Analysis develops the matrix stiffness method, including elastic stability; these are the natural background for the multi-degree-of-freedom chapters.
Gordon's Structures: Or Why Things Don't Fall Down and Ji, Bell and Ellis's Understanding and Using Structural Concepts are non-technical or visual introductions to how structures behave and make useful preparation for readers who are new to the field. Chopra is the book to move to when the course turns to vibration and earthquake loading.
How to Use This Book
The publisher presents the book for readers with no prior knowledge of structural dynamics, in a form detailed enough for self-study. Static structural analysis, including matrix methods, together with basic dynamics, linear algebra and ordinary differential equations, is the sensible background.
A practical plan:
- Core: Part I (Chapters 1–8) in order, then Chapters 9–13 of Part II.
- Extensions: Chapters 14–18 for nonclassical damping, reduction of degrees of freedom, distributed systems and the finite element method; choose according to the course.
- Applications: Part III for earthquake engineering, with Chapter 22 (soil-structure interaction) as the most advanced chapter.
Work the worked examples before the problems, and use the answers to selected problems at the back to check results.