Source:Textile Review

Knowledge of the level of damping in a dynamic system is important in the utilization,analysis, and testing of the system. Knowledge of damping in constituent devices, components, and support structures is important in the design and operation of complex mechanical systems. The nature and the level of component damping should be known in order to develop a dynamic model of the system and its peripherals. Knowledge of damping in a system is also important in imposing dynamic environmental limitations on the system (that is, the maximum dynamic excitation the system can withstand) under in-service conditions. Furthermore,knowledge of a system's damping can be useful in order to make design modifications in a system that has failed the acceptance test.

What is Damping?

Damping is the phenomenon by which mechanical energy is dissipated in dynamic systems.Damping is any effect that tends to reduce the amplitude of oscillations in any oscillatory system. Vibratory response can lead to cracked structures,de focused optics, or other types of degraded performance. The damping in a vibratory system has been intrinsic. Damping came from things like bolted joints or air-friction.

Vibratory energy is transmitted from the aircraft skin panels into the substructure-the stringers, frames, and bulkheads. Thus, internal equipment also gets hit with structure-borne vibratory energy at mounting brackets as well as acoustic energy on their surfaces. This can lead to equipment degradation or failure.

Knowledge of a system's damping is useful in order to make design modifications in a system that has failed the acceptance test.

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The authors are associated with Dept. of Textile Technology, IIT Delhi, New Delhi

Originally Published in Textile Review, August-2011