Flexible Wiper System Dynamic Instabilities: Modelling and Experimental Validation

The optimization of wiper systems under various conditions and the creation of a product which is as robust as possible are the main objectives for an equipment supplier. However, in certain conditions, instabilities can appear and generate wiping defects due to the rubber-glass contact. To improve wiping quality and to reduce the number of test stages for design, this study proposes a wiper system modeling method. The wiper system is represented by a rigid blade holder on which a rubber blade is fitted. This rigid blade system is used on a flat test bench at constant wiping velocity. The model is based on modal synthesis methods and will be validated through comparison with experimental tests under various conditions. The right correlation obtained allows the same modelling method to be applied to the new generation of flexible wiper blades which take account of the degree of freedom of the wiper blade flexions. So, a new computation tool will be developed and validated through experimentation on a specific test bench.     

The effect of dynamical self-orientation and its applicability for identification of natural frequencies

The effect of dynamical self-orientation and its applicability for the identification of natural frequencies of the investigated systems is demonstrated in this paper. Unidirectional vibration exciter is fixed to the investigated systems via a pivot link and can rotate around it. It is shown that the exciter changes its orientation in the steady state motion mode when the frequency of excitation sweeps over the fundamental frequency of the examined system. Approximate analytical analysis of the discrete system illustrates the basic principle of the effect of dynamical self-orientation. Numerical analysis of both the discrete and different continuous elastic systems confirms the applicability of the effect of self-orientation for the identification of natural frequencies.     

Propagation of thickness-twist waves in a multi-sectioned piezoelectric plate of 6 mm crystals

We study thickness-twist vibrations and waves in an unbounded, multi-sectioned piezoelectric plate of crystals with 6 mm symmetry or polarized ceramics. An exact solution from the three-dimensional equations of piezoelectricity is obtained. Basic vibration and wave propagation characteristics are calculated based on the solution. The results are useful in the understanding and design of plate resonators, filters and acoustic wave sensors of ZnO, AlN and polarized ceramics.     

Transfer matrix approach of vibration isolation analysis of periodic composite structure

The transmission properties of elastic waves propagating in a three-dimensional composite structure embedded periodically with spherical inclusions are analyzed by the transfer matrix method in this paper. Firstly, the periodic composite structures are divided into many layers, the transfer matrix of monolayer structure is deduced by the wave equations, and the transfer matrix of the entire structure is obtained in the case of boundary conditions of displacement and stress continuity between layers. Then, the effective impedance of the structure is analyzed to calculate its reflectivity and transmissivity of vibration isolation. Finally, numerical simulation is carried out; the experiment results validate the accuracy and feasibility of the method adopted in the paper and some useful conclusions are obtained. Project (No. 50075029) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.     

Free vibration of non-uniform column using DQM

Most of engineering problems are governed by a set of partial differential equations with proper boundary conditions. The present work is concerned with free vibration analysis of non-uniform column resting on elastic foundation and subjected to follower force. The used method of solution is the differential quadrature method (DQM). Formulation of the problem is introduced. The results obtained and compared with the exact solution and traditional numerical techniques such as finite element method. The parametric study is used to investigate the effect of column geometry on the natural frequencies, the mode shapes and the critical load.     

Investigations on vibration characteristics of two-layered piezoceramic disks

This paper investigates the transverse and planar vibration characteristics of two-layered piezoceramic disks for traction-free boundary conditions by theoretical analysis, finite element numerical calculation, and experimental measurements. Amplitude-fluctuation electronic speckle pattern interferometry (AF-ESPI), laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV), and impedance analysis were used to perform measurements and verify the theoretical solutions for extensional, tangential, and transverse vibrations. The poling direction of piezoelectric elements determines whether they are denoted as either of series- or parallel-type. This study observed that the resonant frequencies and mode shapes of the series- and parallel-type piezoceramic disks present different dynamic characteristics in resonance. Planar and transverse vibrations are coupled in series-type piezoceramic disks and uncoupled in those of parallel-type. Good agreements of dynamic characteristics determined by theoretical analysis, experimental measurements, and numerical calculation are presented for series- and parallel-type piezoceramic disks.     

Coupled bending-torsion vibration of a homogeneous beam with a single delamination subjected to axial loads and static end moments

Delaminations in structures may significantly reduce the stiffness and strength of the structures and may affect their vibration characteristics. As structural components, beams have been used for various purposes, in many of which beams are often subjected to axial loads and static end moments. In the present study, an analytical solution is developed to study the coupled bending-torsion vibration of a homogeneous beam with a single delamination subjected to axial loads and static end moments. Euler–Bernoulli beam theory and the free mode assumption in delamination vibration are adopted. This is the first study of the influences of static end moments upon the effects of delaminations on natural frequencies, critical buckling loads and critical moments for lateral instability. The results show that the effects of delamination on reducing natural frequencies, critical buckling load and critical moment for lateral instability are aggravated by the presence of static end moment. In turn, the effects of static end moments on vibration and instability characteristics are affected by the presence of delamination. The analytical results of this study can serve as a benchmark for finite element method and other numerical solutions.     

Electromechanical coupled nonlinear dynamics for microbeams

In this paper, an electromechanical coupled nonlinear dynamic equation of a microbeam under an electrostatic force is presented. Using the nonlinear dynamic equations and perturbation method, we investigated nonlinear free vibrations, forced responses far from and near to natural frequency, respectively. Nonlinear natural frequencies and vibrating amplitudes of the electromechanical coupled microbeam are dependent on the mechanical and electric parameters. Compared with linear forced responses, the obvious shift of the mean dynamic response occurs. Under certain condition, the jump phenomenon will occur. The studies can be used to design parameters of the microbeam and remove undesirable dynamic behavior such as jump phenomenon, etc.     

Exact controllability of a spherical cap: Numerical implementation of HUM

This paper deals with the numerical implementation of the exact boundary controllability of the Reissner model for shallow spherical shells (Ref. 1). The problem is attacked by the Hilbert uniqueness method (HUM, Refs. 2–4), and we propose a semidiscrete method for the numerical approximation of the minimization problem associated to the exact controllability problem. The numerical results compare well with the results obtained by a finite difference and conjugate gradient method in Ref. 5.This work was done when the first two authors were at CNR-IAC, Rome, Italy as Graduate Students.     

Parametric excitation of waves on a free boundary of a horizontal fluid layer

We consider the dynamical stability of horizontal fluid layer, performing harmonic oscillations in vertical direction. The continued fractions approach allowed us to avoid the conventional restriction to the case of small viscosity and almost-resonant frequencies. Our numerical results cover a wide range of the parameters (viscosity, amplitude and frequency of the oscillation, and depth of the layer). To cite this article: V.I. Yudovich et al., C. R. Mecanique 332 (2004).