Measurement of vibrational power transmission in curved beams

Previous research into structural vibration transmission paths has shown th at it is possible to measure vibrational power transmission in simple beam and plate structures. However, in many practical structures transmission pa ths are composed of more complex, curved elements, therefore there is a nee d to extend vibrational power transmission analyses to this class structure . In a companion publication [1] expressions were derived which described v ibrational power transmission due to predominantly flexural, extensional an d shear types of travelling wave in a curved beam where the neutral axis fo rms a plane curve of constant radius of curvature. In this paper, a strateg y to measure vibrational power transmission in a curved beam is developed a nd applied to an experimental mild steel beam. The experimental apparatus i s described and the measurement method outlined. Results of experimental me asurements of the vibrational power transmitted along the beam are presente d and compared to corresponding values of the power input to the structure. (C) 2001 Academic Press.