Abstract
In this paper a new method for modeling one-dimensional structures with help of
viscously damped systems is presented. The viscoelastic systems are widely used in
structural dynamics. The main handicap of these models is the computational cost.
This has motivated us to search for simpler and easier models capable of calculating
the response with good approximation. In this sense, the viscously damped model is
universally accepted as that with those properties. The single-degree of freedom are
examined in first place. The essentials of the methodology are described. The extension
to multiple-degree of freedom systems is presented as a natural generalization of
the previous ones. The proposed equivalent viscous model can be solved with help of
the traditional tools, characterized by a much higher computational efficiency, such as
the state-space methods or the modal analysis, which are commonly used in dynamical
problems. The theoretical results are contrasted with the aid of different numerical
examples.
