Transient Vibrations of Missiles and Space Vehicles: Determination of the Transient Forced Flexural Vibrations of Accelerating Vehicles Using Equations of Motion of Matric Form Which May Be Readily Adapted to Electronic Digital Computers

A method of analysis for determining the transient forced flexural vibrations of accelerating missiles and space vehicles is presented. The equations of motion are in matric form and may be readily adapted to electronic digital computers. The matric formulation for the problem is written to include the effects of engine gimballing resulting from structural coupling of the flight control system, inertial axial loads along the missile, variable stiffness, variable mass, variable mass moment of inertia, variable shear stiffness, structural damping, structurally coupled aerodynamic forces and arbitrary transient forces applied along the missile. Only the basic data for the system are required in the matrices.