Nonlinear vibration of viscoelastic sandwich beams by the harmonic balance and finite element methods

This paper deals with geometrically nonlinear vibrations of sandwich beams with viscoelastic materials. For this purpose, a new finite element formulation has been developed, in which a zig-zag model is used to describe the displacement field. The viscoelastic behaviour is handled by using hereditary integrals and their relationships with complex moduli. An efficient solution procedure based on the harmonic balance method is also developed. To demonstrate its abilities, various problems of nonlinear vibrations of sandwich beams are considered. First, the results derived from the proposed approach are compared with those of nonlinear dynamic analyses using direct time integration and to experimental data. Then, the influence of the vibration amplitude on the damping properties of sandwich beams is investigated. The effect of an initial axial strain is also examined.     

A finite element model for sandwich viscoelastic beams: Experimental and numerical assessment

Among the passive control systems for attenuation of vibrations in structures, those that use viscoelastic materials as a damping core in laminated-plate-like components are focused herein. In the present work an assessment of a time-domain formulation for numerical modelling of viscoelastic materials is made. This formulation, which is called Golla–Hughes method (GHM), is based on a second-order time-domain realization of Laplace-domain motion equations. The GHM parameters used in the characterization of a viscoelastic material are experimentally determined and a sandwich GHM-based finite element model is presented and validated through numerical comparisons with classic formulation results. Finally, a time-domain simulation of an experimentally tested sandwich beam is carried out.     

TRANSVERSE VIBRATION OF ELASTIC-VISCOELASTIC-ELASTIC SANDWICH BEAMS: COMPRESSION-EXPERIMENTAL AND ANALYTICAL STUDY

Experimental and analytical results are presented from an investigation into the compressional vibration of an elastic-viscoelastic-elastic three-layer sandwich beam. Most analytical models make the fundamental assumption that shear deformation in the viscoelastic core yields the largest damping and compressional deformation is negligible. Experimental results from a cantilever beam with a constrained layer viscoelastic damping treatment driven with a sinusoidal input are given which show compressional deformation over a relatively wide driving frequency range. A new analytical model for compressional damping is presented and compared with experimental results, with the Mead and Markus shear damping model, and with the Douglas and Yang compressional damping model. These results indicate that the proposed compressional model is a better predictor of resonance frequencies for the cantilever beams tested and that all models show deficiencies in predicting damping     

A multi-surface model for ferroelectric ceramics - application to cyclic electric loading with changing maximum amplitude

Depending on the maximum amplitude of externally applied cyclic electric fields, ferroelectric ceramics show minor or major hysteresis. The materials also show asymmetric butterfly hysteresis in a prepoled material. Aiming at capturing these behaviour in a phenomenological constitutive model, a multi-surface modelling approach for ferroelectrics is introduced. In this paper, with the note on the motivation for a multi-surface model related to the results of new experimental investigations and also to experimental data reported in the literature, the constitutive relation for a rate dependent multi-surface ferroelectric model is developed. Following this, a brief graphical illustration shows how this model captures the objective phenomena. Consequently, the numerical implementation of the model to capture experimental results is demonstrated. Finally, the performance of this model to represent behaviour of decaying polarisation offset of electrically fatigued specimen is shown.     

Damped vibration analysis of an elastically connected complex double-string system

The main purpose of the present paper is to consider theoretically damped transverse vibrations of an elastically connected double-string system. This system is treated as two viscoelastic strings with a Kelvin-Voigt viscoelastic layer between them. A theoretical analysis has been made for a simplified model of the system, in which assumed physical parameters make it possible to decouple the governing equations of motion by introducing the principal co-ordinates. Applying the method of separation of variables and the modal expansion method, exact analytical solutions for damped free and forced responses of the system subjected to arbitrarily distributed transverse continuous loads are determined in the case of arbitrary magnitude of linear viscous damping. It is important to note that the solutions obtained are explicitly expressed in terms of parameters characterizing the physical properties of the system under discussion. For the sake of completeness of the analysis, solutions for undamped free and forced vibrations are also formulated.     

Dynamic analysis of magnetorheological elastomer-based sandwich beam with conductive skins under various boundary conditions

The dynamic analysis of a three-layered symmetric sandwich beam with magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) embedded viscoelastic core and conductive skins subjected to a periodic axial load have been carried out under various boundary conditions. As the skins of the sandwich beam are conductive, magnetic loads are applied to the skins during vibration. Due to the field-dependent shear modulus of MRE material, the stiffness of the MRE embedded sandwich beam can be changed by the application of magnetic fields. Using extended Hamilton’s principle along with generalized Galarkin’s method the governing equation of motion has been derived. The free vibration analysis of the system has been carried out and the results are compared with the published experimental and analytical results which are found to be in good agreement. The parametric instability regions of the sandwich beam have been determined for various boundary conditions. Here, recently developed magnetorheological elastomer based on natural rubber containing iron particles and carbon blacks have been used. The effects of magnetic field, length of MRE patch, core thickness, percentage of iron particles and carbon blacks on the regions of parametric instability for first three modes of vibration have been studied. These results have been compared with the parametric instability regions of the sandwich beam with fully viscoelastic core to show the passive and active vibration reduction of these structures using MRE and magnetic field. Also, the results are compared with those obtained using higher order theory.     

Shock response of viscoelastically damped sandwich plates

Analysis for the transient response of a simply supported three layer viscoelastically damped sandwich plate, subjected to a half sine shock pulse, has been carried out, with account taken of the transverse inertia effects only. The properties of the viscoelastic core material have been represented by those of a four element viscoelastic model. The influences of the variation of various geometrical and physical parameters of the damped sandwich plate on the shock response are investigated. The decay rate of the transverse vibrations of the plate is evaluated in terms of the logarithmic decrement.     

Finite element method for viscoelastic medium with damage and the application to structural analysis of solid rocket motor grain

This paper studies the damage-viscoelastic behavior of composite solid propellants of solid rocket motors(SRM).Based on viscoelastic theories and strain equivalent hypothesis in damage mechanics,a three-dimensional(3-D)nonlinear viscoelastic constitutive model incorporating with damage is developed.The resulting viscoelastic constitutive equations are numerically discretized by integration algorithm,and a stress-updating method is presented by solving nonlinear equations according to the Newton-Raphson method.A material subroutine of stress-updating is made up and embedded into commercial code of Abaqus.The material subroutine is validated through typical examples.Our results indicate that the finite element results are in good agreement with the analytical ones and have high accuracy,and the suggested method and designed subroutine are efficient and can be further applied to damage-coupling structural analysis of practical SRM grain.     

Dynamic characterization of high damping viscoelastic materials from vibration test data

The numerical analysis and design of structural systems involving viscoelastic damping materials require knowledge of material properties and proper mathematical models. A new inverse method for the dynamic characterization of high damping and strong frequency-dependent viscoelastic materials from vibration test data measured by forced vibration tests with resonance is presented. Classical material parameter extraction methods are reviewed; their accuracy for characterizing high damping materials is discussed; and the bases of the new analysis method are detailed. The proposed inverse method minimizes the residue between the experimental and theoretical dynamic response at certain discrete frequencies selected by the user in order to identify the parameters of the material constitutive model. Thus, the material properties are identified in the whole bandwidth under study and not just at resonances. Moreover, the use of control frequencies makes the method insensitive to experimental noise and the efficiency is notably enhanced. Therefore, the number of tests required is drastically reduced and the overall process is carried out faster and more accurately. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated with the characterization of a CLD (constrained layer damping) cantilever beam. First, the elastic properties of the constraining layers are identified from the dynamic response of a metallic cantilever beam. Then, the viscoelastic properties of the core, represented by a four-parameter fractional derivative model, are identified from the dynamic response of a CLD cantilever beam.     

Vibrations of three layered damped sandwich plate composites

Theoretical and experimental results are presented and discussed for the transverse driving point mechanical impedances, as well as for the transfer impedances, of damped composite plates made up of a thin viscoelastic layer sandwiched between two elastic layers. Analytical results are determined by finite element approximations. Due to the elements used and the system to be modeled, several fundamental assumptions or restrictions usually adopted in analytical investigations are removed. The dependence on frequency and temperature of the dynamic properties of the viscoelastic materials is taken into consideration. A companion experiment was conducted, for comparison purposes, on such damped composite plates suspended in air by lightweight elastic shock cords and driven at the center by an electromechanical vibration shaker. Good correlations between the test data and analytical solutions are obtained over a wide frequency range for two configurations.     

Vibration analysis and design optimization of viscoelastic sandwich cylindrical shell

Damping properties of viscoelastic sandwich structure can be improved by changing some parameters such as thickness of the layers, distribution of partial treatments, slippage between layers at the interfaces, cutting and its distribution at the top and core layers. Since the optimization problem may result in a thick core layer, for achieving more accuracy a new higher-order Taylor's expansion of transverse and in-plane displacement fields is developed for the core layer of sandwich cylindrical shell in which the displacement fields at the core layer are compatibly described in terms of the displacement fields at the elastic faces. The presented model includes fewer parameters than the previously developed models and therefore decreases the number of degree of freedom in the finite element modeling. The transverse normal stress in the core layer is also considered. The formulations are developed to consider the slippage between layers at the interfaces. Finally, by combining the finite element method and the optimization algorithms based on the genetic algorithm and sequential quadratic programming technique, a design optimization methodology has been formulated to maximize the damping characteristics using the optimal number and location of cuts and partial treatments with optimal thicknesses of top and core layers.     

Non-linear mechanical behaviour and bio-composite modelling of oil palm mesocarp fibres

Understanding the non-linear mechanical behaviour of oil palm mesocarp fibres (OPMF) is important for bio-composite application. The mechanical characterisation of this fibre is challenging due to the microstructure of the fibres consisting of silica bodies on the surface and cellular structures within the cross section. In this work, we proposed a constitutive material model for OPMF by including a stress-softening function into the large strain viscoelastic model. The model shows agreement with loading–unloading and stress relaxation tensile tests. The model was then used for micro-scale finite element modelling of the fibre–silica body–matrix (resin) interface to simulate sliding of a bio-composite material. A multi-particles model was also developed to check the effect of the constitutive model towards the mechanics of a bio-composite system. Modelling results suggested that under the micro-scale level (~50 μm), silica body plays a major role in improving the mechanical behaviour of the bio-composite system. On the other hand, under the macro-scale level (~0.18 mm), a single fibre model is sufficient to simulate a bio-composite multi-fibres material.     

Diffuse field transmission into infinite sandwich composite and laminate composite cylinders

This paper is concerned with the modelling of diffuse field transmission into composite laminate and sandwich composite infinite cylinders. Two models are presented and compared: Symmetrical Laminate composite and discrete thick laminate composite. The latter is shown to handle accurately, as a particular case, the first model, and the important case of sandwich composite shells. In both models, membrane, bending, transverse shearing as well as rotational inertia effects and orthotropic ply angle of the layers are considered. Starting from the dynamic equilibrium relations and stress–strain–displacement relations, a dispersion system is given in a wave approach context. Next, expressions for the matrix systems governing the structural impedance, critical frequencies and ring frequency are given. The developed equations are applied to the calculation of the diffuse field transmission of an infinite cylinder. Predictions with the presented models are compared to results presented in the literature for both laminate composite and sandwich composite configurations. They confirm the accuracy of both models and the general nature of the presented discrete thick laminate composite model.     

Analytical model for nanoscale viscoelastic properties characterization using dynamic nanoindentation

In the last few decades, nanoindentation has gained widespread acceptance as a technique for materials properties characterization at micron and submicron length scales. Accurate and precise characterization of material properties with a nanoindenter is critically dependent on the ability to correctly model the response of the test equipment in contact with the material. In dynamic nanoindention analysis, a simple Kelvin–Voigt model is commonly used to capture the viscoelastic response. However, this model oversimplifies the response of real viscoelastic materials such as polymers. A model is developed that captures the dynamic nanoindentation response of a viscoelastic material. Indenter tip-sample contact forces are modelled using a generalized Maxwell model. The results on a silicon elastomer were analysed using conventional two element Kelvin–Voigt model and contrasted to analysis done using the Maxwell model. The results show that conventional Kelvin–Voigt model overestimates the storage modulus of the silicone elastomer by ~30%. Maxwell model represents a significant improvement in capturing the viscoelastic material behaviour over the Voigt model.     

Vibro-acoustic behaviour of laminated double glazing enclosing a viscothermal fluid cavity

This paper presents a new numerical model to investigate the vibro-acoustic behaviour of two laminated glass plates enclosing a thin viscothermal fluid cavity. The aim of this work is to develop an original five layer (two skins plies, two adhesive films and a core ply) laminated plate finite element by mixing Kirchhoff and Mindlin plate’s theory. The formulation is based on the theory that accounts for the transverse shear in the adhesive films and in the core. The acousto-elastic model is established in dimensionless appropriate form including the effects of viscosity and thermal conductivity of fluid and by taking into account the fluid-structure interaction. The discretization of the energy functional by finite element method gives after minimisation a symmetrical coupled matrix system in which the acoustic matrices are frequency dependent. Therefore, an iterative procedure is derived to determine the eigenmodes of the coupled system. The modal approach is adopted to determine the vibro-acoustic system’s response. Then, the validation of the new laminate finite element model is achieved by comparing the sandwich plate results against data obtained from literature. Subsequently, predicted responses, such as the vibration transmissibility and the transmission loss of the coupled system, for a given laminated double glazing under an imposed homogeneous pressure are presented and discussed. Numerical results show the importance of both lamination and viscothermal fluid effects on double glazing vibro-acoustic behaviour.     

Dynamic viscoelastic effects on sound wave scattering by an eccentric compound circular cylinder

The classical method of separation of variables in conjunction with the translational addition theorem for cylindrical wave functions are employed to obtain an exact solution for two-dimensional interaction of a harmonic plane acoustic wave with an infinitely long (visco)elastic circular cylinder which is eccentrically coated by another (visco)elastic material and is submerged in an ideal unbounded acoustic medium. The novel features of Havriliak-Negami model for dynamic viscoelastic material behaviour are used to take the rheological properties of the coating (and/or core) material into consideration. The analytical results are illustrated with numerical examples in which a steel rod eccentrically coated with (an eccentric steel shell filled with) dissipative materials of distinct viscoelastic properties is insonified by plane sound waves at selected angles of incidence. The effects of incident wave frequency, angle of incidence, core eccentricity and dynamic viscoelastic material properties on the backscattered form function spectra are examined. Limiting cases are considered and fair agreements with available solutions are obtained.     

Five-parameter fractional derivative model for polymeric damping materials

Fractional derivative models offer a powerful tool to describe the dynamic behaviour of real viscoelastic materials. A version of the fractional derivative models characterized by five parameters is presented and investigated in this paper in order to describe asymmetrical loss factor peak and the high-frequency behaviour of polymeric damping materials. The speculative derivation of the model constitutive equation containing time derivatives of stress and strain of different orders is given. The model behaviour is investigated in the frequency domain, the physical meaning of the model parameters is defined and constraints on the parameter values are made. It is shown that the asymmetry of loss peak and the high-frequency behaviour of the model are governed by the difference between the order of time derivatives of stress and strain. Moreover, it is shown that this difference is related to the high-frequency limit value of the loss factor. The model is fitted to experimental data on some polymeric damping materials to verify its behaviour.     

Effect of Longitudinal Magnetic Field on Vibration Characteristics of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes in a Viscoelastic Medium

The effect of longitudinal magnetic field on vibration response of a sing-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) embedded in viscoelastic medium is investigated. Based on nonlocal Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, Maxwell’s relations, and Kelvin viscoelastic foundation model, the governing equations of motion for vibration analysis are established. The complex natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes in closed form for the embedded SWCNT with arbitrary boundary conditions are obtained using transfer function method (TFM). The new analytical expressions for the complex natural frequencies are also derived for certain typical boundary conditions and Kelvin-Voigt model. Numerical results from the model are presented to show the effects of nonlocal parameter, viscoelastic parameter, boundary conditions, aspect ratio, and strength of the magnetic field on vibration characteristics for the embedded SWCNT in longitudinal magnetic field. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed methods for vibration analysis of embedded SWCNTs under magnetic field.     

On the influence of frequency-dependent elastic properties in vibro-acoustic modelling of porous materials under structural excitation

The aspects related to modelling the frequency dependence of the elastic properties of air-saturated porous materials have been largely neglected in the past for several reasons. For acoustic excitation of porous materials, the material behaviour can be quite well represented by models where the properties of the solid frame have little influence. Only recently has the importance of the dynamic moduli of the frame come into focus. This is related to a growing interest in the material behaviour due to structural excitation. Two aspects stand out in connection with the elastic-dynamic behaviour. The first is related to methods for the characterisation of the dynamic moduli of porous materials. The second is a perceived lack of numerical methods able to model the complex material behaviour under structural excitation, in particular at higher frequencies. In the current paper, experimental data from a panel under structural excitation, coated with a porous material, are presented. In an attempt to correlate the experimental data to numerical predictions, it is found that the measured quasi-static material parameters do not suffice for an accurate prediction of the measured results. The elastic material parameters are then estimated by correlating the numerical prediction to the experimental data, following the physical behaviour predicted by the augmented Hooke?s law. The change in material behaviour due to the frequency-dependent properties is illustrated in terms of the propagation of the slow wave and the shear wave in the porous material.