Anything that is not in the nonlinear part of the model is considered linear.

There are no specific guidelines for modeling the linear part of an HBM analysis. For general guidelines, see the Modeling and Meshing Guide.

Similar to a linear harmonic analysis, some form of damping should be specified in an HBM analysis. See Limitations for restrictions on damping definition.

Since HBM is a nonlinear analysis, it uses more time and disk space than a linear harmonic analysis. To avoid prohibitive performance, the linear parts of the model may be reduced using component mode synthesis substructuring (CMS). For an example using CMS in an HBM analysis, see Example 3: Two Jointed Beams with Frictional Contact Interface.