Dynamic Analysis of a Rotating Composite Shaft

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the dynamic analysis of a rotating composite shaft. The numerical finite element technique is utilized to compute the eigen pairs of laminated composite shafts. A finite element model has been developed to formulate the stiffness matrices using lamination theory. These matrices take into account the effects of axial, flexural and rotating on the eigen-nature of rotating composite shaft. The Campbell diagram is utilized to compute the critical speed of rotating composite shaft and instability regions to achieve accuracy and for controlling the dynamic behavior of the system in resonance state. The influence of laminate parameters: stacking sequences, fiber orientation, boundary conditions and fiber volume fractions effect on natural frequencies and instability thresholds of the shaft are studied. The results are compared to those obtained by using the finite element method and experimental measurements using frequency response function method (FRF) by applying the autogenously excitation from self excitation due to driving motor. In the experimental part, the response of composite shaft with various types of boundary conditions and five lamina orientations were recorded and analyzed by utilizing fast Fourier transform dual channel analyzer in conjunction with the computer. The comparison between the numerical and experimental results proves that the suggested finite element models of the composite shaft provide an efficient accurate tool for the dynamic analysis of rotating composite shaft.