Experimental Results on Parametric Excitation Damping of an Axially Loaded Cantilever Beam

Abstract

In various fields of engineering, e.g. aerospace applications, robotics or the bladings of turbomachinery, slender beam-like structures are in use and subject to free bending vibrations. Since such vibrations often are not wanted because they may degrade the performance or function of the structure, it is important to have a suitable means of vibration suppression available. In this experimental study we investigate a slender cantilever beam loaded with a controlled force at its tip. The force is always oriented towards the clamping point of the beam and generated by a piezo-actuator. Force control is based on an open-loop control without feedback from the structure. To enhance vibration suppression we take advantage of the additional damping observed when a periodic force modulation at a certain frequency is applied. From several theoretical studies it is known that parametrically excited systems show increased stability, and therefore enhanced damping properties, when the parametric excitation frequency is chosen near a certain combination frequency. Due to the almost axially applied force the cantilever beam system becomes a parametrically excited system and the effect mentioned can be observed. Numerous measurement runs have been carried out and vibration suppression as a function of the excitation frequency, the excitation amplitude and the beam initial deflection has been investigated. The results are in very good agreement with theoretical predictions and for the first time the numerical and analytical results obtained earlier are confirmed by experimental work.