Flexural vibration band gaps in periodic Timoshenko beams with oscillators in series resting on flexible supports

Abstract

The propagation properties of waves in Timoshenko beams resting on flexible supports and with periodically attached harmonic locally resonant oscillators are studied by the transfer matrix methodology. Through calculating the differential equations of the beam for the flexible vibration and the dynamic equations of the oscillators in series, the matrix of dynamic stiffness and the resulting transfer matrix are derived. Accordingly, the band gap in infinite system characterized by the propagation constant can be verified by comparing to the curve of transmission property, determined with the finite element method for the finite system. The mechanism of each band gap formation is further explored. Numerical results show that different from the single degree-of-freedom mass-spring model, one more locally resonant band gap is generated in the system of two oscillators in series. The introduction of flexible supports, allowing for variable internal coupling between the adjacent cells, produces an extra band gap with a minimum frequency of zero. It is also found that the starting frequencies of the locally resonant gaps are related to the spring stiffness and mass of the oscillator. Therefore, the positions and widths of the band gaps can be tuned by properly adjusting the four parameters of the oscillators and also the stiffness of the flexible supports.