Nonlinear normal modes, Part I: A useful framework for the structural dynamicist

The concept of nonlinear normal modes (NNMs) is discussed in the present paper and its companion, Part II. Because there is virtually no application of the NNMs to large-scale engineering structures, these papers are an attempt to highlight several aspects that might drive their development in the future. Specifically, we support that (i) numerical methods for the continuation of periodic solutions pave the way for an effective and practical computation of NNMs, and (ii) time–frequency analysis is particularly suitable for the analysis of the resulting dynamics. Another objective of the present paper is to describe, in simple terms, and to illustrate the fundamental properties of NNMs. This is achieved to convince the structural dynamicist not necessarily acquainted with them that they are a useful framework for the analysis of nonlinear vibrating structures.