Response of Nonlinear Degrading Oscillator to Random Excitation

Dynamic loading of mechanical and structural systems including random ly varying excitation, causes irreversible changes in the material st ructure a results in a decreasing ability of the system to carry inte nded loading.Such a degradation of system properties has a direct eff ect on its safety and reliability. Damage caused by vibration manifes ts itself mainly in stiffness degradation of comonents and structures . On the macroscopic level, this type of degradation of the material properties in metallic structures is mainly due to accumulation of fa tigue, or more specifically to growth of fatigue cracks, which takes place in vibrating mechanical and structural elements.