This research aims to develop the underlying theory and methods for analyzing the effect of irregularities on the dynamics of nearly periodic structures. The research will address two main issues: (1) formulate a general criterion capable of predicting the occurrence of strong localization for structural systems and, therefore, gain a physical insight into mode localization; and, (2) investigate mode localization from two types of nearly periodic structures--namely, assemblies of multi-Degree-of-Freedom (DOF) component systems and one- and two-dimensional multi-span continuous structures--and thereby assess the damaging or beneficial effects of localization for both free and forced responses.
