An approach to the theoretical background of statistical energy analysis applied to structural vibration

Rayleigh’s classical approach to the study of vibration of systems having a finite number of degrees of freedom is applied to the problem of coupling of subsystems in a complicated structure, in order to probe the regions of applicability of the approach to vibration analysis usually known as statistical energy analysis (SEA). The classical method has advantages of simplicity and rigor over previous approaches to the background of SEA in certain cases, and provides extensions and simplifications in several areas of the theory. It also suggests modifications to SEA modeling strategy depending on the type of coupling involved, even when that coupling is weak, so that earlier analyses might be thought to apply.