Torus doublings and chaotic amplitude modulations in a two degree-of-freedom resonantly forced mechanical system

This work studies the response of a weakly non-linear vibratory system with two degrees-of-freedom when the system is excited near resonance. The two linear modes are in 1:3 internal resonance. The asymptotic method of averaging and direct numerical integration are used to obtain the response of the system. Over a range of excitation frequencies and modal damping, the averaged equations in slow time are found to possess limit cycle solutions. These solutions undergo period doubling bifurcations to chaotic solutions. The averaging theory then implies the existence of amplitude modulated motions, the exact nature of modulations not being well defined. Numerical simulation of the original vibratory two degree-of-freedom system shows that the system does undergo amplitude modulated motions. For sufficiently large damping, only periodic modulations arise in the form of a 2-torus. For lower damping, the 2-torus can undergo doubling and ultimate destruction to result in a chaotic attractor. Poincare sections of steady state solutions are used to characterize the various types of amplitude modulated motions.