Real physical systems subjected to dynamic environments all display nonlinear behavior, yet, for practical reasons, they are most frequently modeled in a linear framework. Experience shows that much of the nonlinearity of system behavior arises from the dynamic action of mechanical joints in systems. Further, experimental evidence suggests that real physical systems drawn from ensembles of nominally identical systems are stochastic, yet, most modeling is deterministic. When the deterministic, linear framework is used, the stiffness of joints is modeled as linear, and the damping is modeled as linear and viscous. To model mechanical joints otherwise requires a nonlinear framework and mathematical finite element model that accommodates transient time domain analysis. This study investigates energy dissipation in a particular type of mechanical joint – the lap joint. It does so using a mathematical model originally implemented in a deterministic framework. The investigation develops a methodology for incorporating the energy dissipation model into a probabilistic framework, and uses experimentally generated results to develop a specific probabilistic model. A numerical example is presented.
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