Which analysis uses a power spectral representation to study the structure's response to an impulsive load?

• A. Shock Spectrum Analysis
• B. Dynamic Finite Element Analysis
• C. Pseudo-Static Analysis
• D. Energy Dissipation Analysis

Answer: (A)

Impulse events contain energy across a wide range of frequencies, so analyzing them in the frequency domain helps reveal how the structure will respond at its natural modes. Shock spectrum analysis uses a power spectral representation of the impulsive load to estimate the structure’s peak responses by combining the input spectrum with the structure’s dynamic properties (damping, stiffness, and modal behavior). This lets engineers predict maximum accelerations or forces without running a full time-history simulation. The other methods either solve in the time domain (dynamic finite element analysis), use simplified static equivalents (pseudo-static), or focus on energy dissipation rather than spectral content.