The Exact Frequency Equations for the Euler-Bernoulli Beam Subject to Boundary Damping

Abstract

The Euler-Bernoulli (E-B) beam is the most commonly utilized model in the study of vibrating beams. The exact frequency equations for this problem, subject to energy-conserving boundary conditions, are well-known; however, the corresponding dissipative problem has been solved only approximately, via asymptotic methods. These methods, of course, are not accurate when looking at the low end of the spectrum. Here, we solve for the exact frequency equations for the E-B beam subject to boundary damping. Numerous numerical examples are provided, showing plots of both the complex wave numbers and the exponential damping rates for the first five frequencies in each case. Some of these results are surprising.