Solution of dynamic response of framed structure using piecewise Birkhoff polynomial

In this paper, the piecewise Birkhoff interpolation polynomials and the modal superposition method were employed for the solution of dynamic response of m.d.o.f. system. The related formulae are derived. Because an exact result can be obtained when each loading can be represented by a piecewise polynomial, the proposed method not only can considerably reduce computational effort compared to the traditional step-by-step integration solution technique, but also can thoroughly avoid the problems of accuracy, convergence and stability encountered in many other numerical procedures. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.