Similitude laws for dynamic response of beam-plate coupled structure

Abstract

The beam-plate coupled structure is a typical structure in spacecraft solar wings, and the prediction of its mechanical environment is crucial for overall design, structure and mechanism subsystem design. However, it is usually difficult to perform ground simulation tests on spacecraft solar wings with full-size structure. Therefore, a scaled model is established based on similarity theory to forecast the dynamic response of the full-size structure. In this article, finite element (FE) and hybrid finite element-statistical energy analysis (FE-SEA) models of the beam-plate coupled structure are established according to the band division principle. Finite element model allows for detailed analysis of structural behaviour, while hybrid models incorporate statistical energy analysis to account for high-frequency dynamics. By integrating these approaches, a comprehensive understanding of the coupled structure’s response can be achieved, facilitating efficient design and optimisation processes. The scaling laws of the dynamic response are obtained by combining the dimensional analysis and equation analysis methods, respectively. The scaled models are designed for verification, and the natural characteristics and vibration responses predicted by the scaled models are basically consistent with those of the prototype. The findings indicate that the prediction accuracy derived from the FE-SEA model is higher, which provides a novel approach for the dynamic similarity of complicated structures such as the solar wings of spacecraft.