Experiments and simulations of an industrial assembly with different types of nonlinear joints subjected to harmonic vibrations

Abstract

The structure Harmony-Gamma is a metallic assembly representative of an industrial structure for which the vibratory response is influenced by the apparition of nonlinear phenomena within two specific types of joints, the first corresponding to friction joints and the second to elastomer joints. Firstly, the paper presents the experimental procedure and results obtained for this structure. Secondly, a global methodology for modeling and simulation of the nonlinear vibrational response is set up.The experiments are performed for longitudinal and transverse swept sine experiments. First of all, swept sine experiments are performed at low excitation levels on the structure in order to update a linear finite-element model. Then, the evolution of the frequency response function is studied at increasing excitation levels in order to identify the contribution of the nonlinear effects on the global vibrational response of the system.The methodology for modeling and simulation consists of five steps. Firstly, a finite-element model of the structure is presented and updated in order to be representative of the structure when it is excited at low excitation levels. This model is then reduced using a hybrid sub-structuring technique. Thirdly, the nonlinear models of the friction and elastomer joints are added. The resulting optimization problem is solved by means of the Harmonic Balance Method (HBM) coupled with a Newton-Raphson continuation and a condensation process. Lastly, the simulation results are compared to the experimental results in order to validate the development of the finite element model for the nonlinear industrial structure Harmony-Gamma with nonlinear joints of different natures and to achieve a refined understanding of the nonlinear phenomena and their origin.