Nonlinear System Identification of Systems with Periodic Limit-Cycle Response

A nonlinear system identification methodology based on the principle of harmonic balance and bifurcation theory techniques like center manifold analysis and normal form reduction, is presented for multi-degree-of-freedom systems. The methodology, called Bifurcation Theory System IDentification, (BiTSID), is a general procedure for any nonlinear system that exhibits periodic limit cycle response and can be used to capture the bifurcation behavior of the nonlinear systems. The BiTSID methodology is demonstrated on an experimental system single-degree-of-freedom system that deals with self-excited motions of a fluid-structure system with a sub-critical Hopf bifurcation. It is shown that BiTSID performs excellently in capturing the stable and unstable limit cycles within the experimental regime. Its performance outside the experimental regime is also studied. The application of BiTSID to experimental multi-degree-of-freedom systems has also been very successful. However in this study only the results of the single-degree-of-freedom system are presented.