Transfer Functions of One-Dimensional Distributed Parameter Systems

Distributed parameter systems describe many important physical processes. The transfer function of a distributed parameter system contains all information required to predict the system spectrum, the system response under any initial and external disturbances, and the stability of the system response. This paper presents a new method for evaluating transfer functions for a class of one-dimensional distributed parameter systems. The system equations are cast into a matrix form in the Laplace transform domain. Through determination of a fundamental matrix, the system transfer function is precisely evaluated in closed form. The method proposed is valid for both self-adjoint and non-self-adjoint systems, and is extremely convenient in computer coding. The method is applied to a damped, axially moving beam with different boundary conditions.