Parametric random excitation of nonlinear coupled oscillators

Abstract

The stochastic bifurcation and response statistics of nonlinear modal interaction under parametric random excitation are studied analytically, numerically and experimentally. Two basic definitions of stochastic bifurcation are first introduced. These are bifurcation in distribution and bifurcation in moments. bifurcation in moments is examined for the case of a coupled oscillator subjected to parametric filtered white noise. The center frequency of the excitation is selected to be close to either twice the first mode or second mode natural frequencies or the sum of the two. The stochastic bifurcation in moments is predicted using the Fokker-Planck equation together with gaussian and non-Gaussian closures and numerically using the Monte Carlo simulation. When one mode is parametrically excited it transfers energy to the other mode due to nonlinear modal interaction. The Gaussian closure solution gives close results to those predicted numerically only in regions well remote from bifurcation points. However, bifurcation points predicted by the non-Gaussian closure are in good agreement with those estimated by numerical simulation. Depending on the excitation level, the probability density of the excited mode is strongly non-Gaussian and exhibits multi-maxima as predicted by Monte Carlo simulation. Experimental tests are carried out at relatively low excitation levels. In the neighborhood of stochastic bifurcation in mean square the measured results exhibit different regimes of response characteristics including zero motion and occasional small random motion regimes. These two regimes are characterized by the phenomenon of on-off intermittency. Both regimes overlap and thus it is difficult to locate experimentally the bifurcation point.