Experiment and Formulations for the Dynamic Characteristics of Jointed Structures

Abstract

Clearance joints significantly affect the dynamic properties of deployable structures (DSs). This paper presents a spring-mass model with clearance for the study of the axial stiffness of a jointed structure. The nonlinear stiffness can be predicted by calculating the model's natural frequency which is the reciprocal of the motion period of the model. The results of the theoretical model show that the dynamic stiffness of the clearance joint increases with increases in the displacement amplitude; this finding is consistent with the experimental results. With the inclusion of sliding factors, contact friction, and impact, the established model of energy dissipation is useful for estimating the effects of joint damping on DSs. The energy dissipation model reveals the effects of joint features and excitation conditions on the dissipation of the jointed structure, that is, the excitation frequency and amplitude. Dynamic experiments were performed on jointed structures to characterize the dissipation variations. An exponentially fitting equation was developed based on the energy dissipation model and was verified through the experimental data. This formulation is more efficient than numerical integration for the calculation of the energy dissipation.