On the Discretization of Distributed-Parameter Systems with Quadratic and Cubic Nonlinearities

Approximate methods for analyzing the vibrations of an Euler--Bernoulli beam resting on a nonlinear elastic foundation are discussed. The cases of primary resonance ( _n ) and subharmonic resonance of order one-half ( 2 _n ), where is the excitation frequency and _n is the natural frequency of the nth mode of the beam, are investigated. Approximate solutions based on discretization via the Galerkin method are contrasted with direct application of the method of multiple scales to the governing partial-differential equation and boundary conditions. The amplitude and phase modulation equations show that single-mode discretization leads to erroneous qualitative as well as quantitative predictions. Regions of softening (hardening) behavior of the system, the spatial dependence of the response drift, and frequency-response curves are numerically evaluated and compared using both approaches.     

Resonant non-linear normal modes. Part II: activation/orthogonality conditions for shallow structural systems

The general conditions, obtained in Lacarbonara and Rega (Int. J. Non-linear Mech. (2002)), for orthogonality of the non-linear normal modes in the cases of two-to-one, three-to-one, and one-to-one internal resonances in undamped unforced one-dimensional systems with arbitrary linear, quadratic and cubic non-linearities are here investigated for a class of shallow symmetric structural systems. Non-linear orthogonality of the modes and activation of the associated interactions are clearly dual problems. It is known that an appropriate integer ratio between the frequencies of the modes of a spatially continuous system is a necessary but not sufficient condition for these modes to be non-linearly coupled. Actual activation/orthogonality of the modes requires the additional condition that the governing effective non-linear interaction coefficients in the normal forms be different/equal to zero. Herein, a detailed picture of activation/orthogonality of bimodal interactions in buckled beams, shallow arches, and suspended cables is presented.     

Non-linear interactions in imperfect beams at veering

Non-linear interactions in a hinged-hinged uniform moderately curved beam with a torsional spring at one end are investigated. The two-mode interaction is a one-to-one autoparametric resonance activated in the vicinity of veering of the frequencies of the lowest two modes and results from the non-linear stretching of the beam centerline. The excitation is a base acceleration that is involved in a primary resonance with either the first mode only or with both modes. The ensuing non-linear responses and their stability are studied by computing force- and frequency-response curves via bifurcation analysis tools. Both the sensitivity of the internal resonance detuning—the gap between the veering frequencies—and the linear modal structure are investigated by varying the rise of the beam half-sinusoidal rest configuration and the torsional spring constant. The internal and external resonance detunings are varied accordingly to construct the non-linear system response curves. The beam mixed-mode response is shown to undergo several bifurcations, including Hopf and homoclinic bifurcations, along with the phenomenon of frequency island generation and mode localization.     

Nonlinear wave propagation in locally dissipative metamaterials via Hamiltonian perturbation approach

Nonlinear Dynamics - The cellular microstructure of periodic architected materials can be enriched by local intracellular mechanisms providing innovative distributed functionalities. Specifically,...     

Nonlinear parametric modeling of suspension bridges under aeroelastic forces: torsional divergence and flutter

A fully nonlinear model of suspension bridges parameterized by one single space coordinate is proposed to describe overall three-dimensional motions. The nonlinear equations of motion are obtained via a direct total Lagrangian formulation and the kinematics, for the deck-girder and the suspension cables, feature the finite displacements of the associated base lines and the flexural and torsional rotations of the deck cross-sections assumed rigid in their own planes. The strain-displacement relationships for the generalized strain parameters, the elongations in the cables, the deck elongation, and the three curvatures, retain the full geometric nonlinearities. The proposed nonlinear model with its full extensional-flexural-torsional coupling is employed to study the torsional divergence caused by the static part of the wind-induced forces. Two suspension bridges are considered as case studies: the Runyang bridge (main span 1,490?m) and the Hu Men bridge (main span 888?m) in China. The evaluation of the onset of the static instability and the post-critical behavior takes into account the prestressed condition of the bridge subject to dead loads. The dynamic bifurcation that occurs at the onset of flutter is also studied accounting for the prestressed equilibrium state about which the equations of motion are obtained via an updated Lagrangian formulation. Such a bifurcation is investigated in the context of the parametric nonlinear model considering the model parameters of the Runyang Suspension Bridge together with its aeroelastic derivatives. The calculated critical wind speeds for the onset of the static and dynamic bifurcations are compared with the results obtained via linear analysis and the main differences are highlighted. Parametric sensitivity studies are carried out to assess the influence of the design parameters on the instabilities associated with the bridge aeroelastic response.     

Nonlinear dynamic response of an isolation system with superelastic hysteresis and negative stiffness

Nonlinear Dynamics - The negative stiffness exhibited by bi-stable mechanisms together with the tunable superelasticity offered by shape memory alloy (SMA) wires can enhance the dynamic resilience...     

Forced Radial Motions of Nonlinearly Viscoelastic Shells

This paper contains an extensive global treatment of radial motions of compressible nonlinearly viscoelastic cylindrical and spherical shells under time-dependent pressures. It furnishes a variety of conditions on a general class of material properties and on the pressure terms ensuring that there are solutions existing for all times, there are unbounded globally defined solutions, there are solutions that blow up in finite time, and there are solutions having the same period as that of the pressure terms. The shells are described by a geometrically exact 2-dimensional theory in which the shells suffer thickness strains as well as the standard stretching of their base surfaces. Consequently their motions are governed by fourth-order systems of semilinear ordinary differential equations. This work shows that there are major qualitative differences between the nonlinear dynamical behaviors of cylindrical and spherical shells.      

A geometrically exact approach to the overall dynamics of elastic rotating blades—part 2: flapping nonlinear normal modes

The geometrically exact equations of motion about the prestressed state discussed in part 1 (i.e., the nonlinear equilibrium under centrifugal forces) are expanded in the Taylor series of the incremental displacements and rotations to obtain the third-order perturbed form. The expanded form is amenable to a perturbation treatment to unfold the nonlinear features of free undamped flapping dynamics. The method of multiple scales is thus applied directly to the partial-differential equations of motion to construct the backbone curves of the flapping modes and their nonlinear approximations when they are away from internal resonances with other modes. The effective nonlinearity coefficients of the lowest three flapping modes of elastic isotropic blades are investigated when the angular speed is changed from low- to high-speed regimes. The novelty of the current findings is in the fact that the nonlinearity of the flapping modes is shown to depend critically on the angular speed since it can switch from hardening to softening and vice versa at certain speeds. The asymptotic results are compared with previous literature results. Moreover, 2:1 internal resonances between flapping and axial modes are exhibited as singularities of the effective nonlinearity coefficients. These nonlinear interactions can entail fundamental changes in the blade local and global dynamics.