Vibration and parametric excitation in asymmetric circular plates under moving loads

Abstract

The natural frequencies and modes of transverse vibration of circular plates containing small imperfections are determined through a perturbation method. Incision of equally spaced, equal-size radial slots at the rim of the plate creates asymmetry in some, but not all, of the vibration modes, and it causes the repeated natural frequencies of these modes in the symmetric plate to split into two distinct values. These vibration modes are called the split modes, and those associated with the repeated natural frequencies are called the repeated modes. A relationship identifying the split and repeated modes for any configuration of slots is presented. The vibration of a plate containing any number of thin slots cut into it at the rim and with any number of rotating linear springs is analyzed. Parametric instability can be excited in the split modes of the plate by the springs rotating below critical speed, but it cannot be excited in the repeated modes. The response of the plate in forms such as traveling or standing waves at parametric resonance is discussed. The theoretical predictions of split and repeated vibration modes and of the excitation of parametric instability are confirmed by experiments.