On the modal equations of large amplitude flexural vibration of beams, plates, rings and shells

Abstract: Non-linear vibrations of free-edge shallow spherical shells are investigated, in order to predict the trend of non-linearity (hardening/softening behaviour) for each mode of the shell, as a function of its geometry. The analog for thin shallow shells of von Karman's theory for large deflection of plates is used. The main difficulty in predicting the trend of non-linearity relies in the truncation used for the analysis of the partial differential equations (PDEs) of motion. Here, non-linear normal modes through real normal form theory are used. This formalism allows deriving the analytical expression of the coefficient governing the trend of non-linearity. The variation of this coefficient with respect to the geometry of the shell (radius of curvature R, thickness h and outer diameter 2 a) is then numerically computed, for axisymmetric as well as asymmetric modes. Plates (obtained as R → ∞) are known to display a hardening behaviour, whereas shells generally behave in a softening way. The transition between these two types of non-linearity is clearly studied, and the specific role of 2:1 internal resonances in this process is clarified. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abstract: These lecture notes are related to the CISM course on ”Modal Analysis of nonlinear Mechanical systems”, held at Udine, Italy, from June 25 to 29, 2012. The key concept at the core of all the lessons given during this week is the notion of Nonlinear Normal Mode (NNM), a theoretical tool allowing one to extend, through some well-chosen assumptions and limitations, the linear modes of vibratory systems, to nonlinear regimes. More precisely concerning these notes, they are intended to show the explicit link between Normal Form theory and NNMs, for the specific case of vibratory systems displaying polynomial type nonlinearities. After a brief introduction reviewing the main concepts for deriving the normal form for a given dynamical system, the relationship between normal form theory and nonlinear normal modes (NNMs) will be the core of the developments. Once the main results presented, application of NNMs to vibration problem where geometric nonlinearity is present, will be highlighted. In particular, the developments of reduced-order models based on NNMs expressed asymptotically with the formalism of real normal form, will be deeply presented.

Abstract: The development of nonlinear vibration formulations for beams in the literature can be seen to have gone through distinct phases — earlier continuum solutions, development of appropriate forms, extra-variational simplifications, debate and discussions, variationally correct formulations and finally applications. A review of work in each of these phases is very necessary in order to have a complete understanding of the process of evolution of this field. This paper attempts to achieve precisely this objective.

Abstract: The effect of geometric imperfections and viscous damping on the type of nonlinearity (i.e., the hardening or softening behaviour) of circular plates and shallow spherical shells with free edge is here investigated. The Von Karman large-deflection theory is used to derive the continuous models. Then, nonlinear normal modes (NNMs) are used for predicting with accuracy the coefficient, the sign of which determines the hardening or softening behaviour of the structure. The effect of geometric imperfections, unavoidable in real systems, is studied by adding a static initial component in the deflection of a circular plate. Axisymmetric as well as asymmetric imperfections are investigated, and their effect on the type of nonlinearity of the modes of an imperfect plate is documented. Transitions from hardening to softening behaviour are predicted quantitatively for imperfections having the shapes of eigenmodes of a perfect plate. The role of 2:1 internal resonance in this process is underlined. When damping is included in the calculation, it is found that the softening behaviour is generally favoured, but its effect remains limited.

Abstract: The free and forced in-plane and out-of-plane vibrations of frames are investigated. The beam has a straight and a curved part. It has a circular cross-section. A concentrated mass is also located at different points of the frame with different mass ratios. FEM is used to analyze the problem. The in-plane and out-of-plane natural frequencies, point and transfer receptances of the system are obtained to determine the sensitive and non-sensitive frequency intervals depending on the location and direction of the force.

Abstract: Use is made of the two coupled partial differential equations that govern the large amplitude flexural vibration of flat plates. On the basis of an assumed vibration mode taken to be separable in the space coordinates and time, the modal equation is obtained. In the case of a one-term solution, it is shown that the modal equation is the same as the dynamic equation of a mass-spring combination where the restoring force of the nonlinear spring is a cubic and an odd function of the displacement. Since the modal equation is a nonlinear, ordinary differential equation with positive coefficients, it is shown that the nonlinearity associated with the large amplitude flexural vibration of beams and plates is of the hardening type, that is, the frequency increases with amplitude.

Abstract: The general equations governing the large amplitude flexural vibration of any thin elastic shell using curvilinear orthogonal coordinates are derived and consist of two coupled, nonlinear, partial differential equations in the normal displacement w and the stress function F. From these equations, the governing equations for the case of shells of revolution or flat plates can be readily obtained as special cases. The material of the shell or plate is isotropic and homogeneous and Hooke's law for the two-dimensional case is valid. It is suggested that the difference between the hardening type of nonlinearity in the case of flat plates and straight beams and the softening type of nonlinearity in the case of shells and rings can, in general, be traced to the amount of curvature present in the underformed median surface of the structure concerned.