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Title: Observations of modal coupling due to bolted joints in an experimental benchmark structure

Journal Article · · Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing
 [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, WI (United States)
  2. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

The goal of this paper is to present a set of measurements from a benchmark structure containing two bolted joints to support future efforts to predict the damping due to the joints and to model nonlinear coupling between the first two elastic modes. Bolted joints introduce nonlinearities in structures, typically causing a softening in the natural frequency and an increase in damping because of frictional slip between the contact interfaces within the joint. These nonlinearities pose significant challenges when characterizing the response of the structure under a large range of load amplitudes, especially when the modal responses become coupled, causing the effective damping and natural frequency to not only depend on the excitation amplitude of the targeted mode, but also the relative amplitudes of other modes. In this work, two nominally identical benchmark structures, known in some prior works as the S4 beam, are tested to characterize their nonlinear properties for the first two elastic modes. Detailed surface measurements are presented and validated through finite element analysis and reveal distinct contact interactions between the two sets of beams. The free-free test structures are excited with an impact hammer and the transient response is analyzed to extract the damping and frequency backbone curves. A range of impact amplitudes and drive points are used to isolate a single mode or to excite both modes simultaneously. Differences in the nonlinear response correlate with the relative strength of the modes that are excited, allowing one to characterize mode coupling. Each of the beams shows different nonlinear properties for each mode, which is attributed to the different contact pressure distributions between the parts, although the mode coupling relationship is found to be consistent between the two. Lastly, the test data key finding are presented in this paper and the supporting data is available on a public repository for interested researchers.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); National Science Foundation (NSF)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000; NA0003525; CMMI-1561810
OSTI ID:
1787525
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1815212
Report Number(s):
SAND-2021-4576J; 695565
Journal Information:
Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, Vol. 162; ISSN 0888-3270
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Challenging an experimental nonlinear modal analysis method with a new strongly friction-damped structure journal October 2020
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Application of quasi-static modal analysis to a finite element model and experimental correlation journal August 2020
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A phase resonance approach for modal testing of structures with nonlinear dissipation journal November 2018
Nonlinear system identification of frictional effects in a beam with a bolted joint connection journal August 2013
On the effects of roughness on the nonlinear dynamics of a bolted joint: A multiscale analysis journal July 2018
Comparison of nonlinear system identification methods for free decay measurements with application to jointed structures journal August 2019
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Application of Viscous and Iwan Modal Damping Models to Experimental Measurements From Bolted Structures journal April 2015
A Four-Parameter Iwan Model for Lap-Type Joints journal February 2005
Nonlinear modal analysis of nonconservative systems: Extension of the periodic motion concept journal July 2015

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