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A new method for measuring damping in flexural vibration of thin fibers

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Abstract

In this paper we describe a new method for measuring damping in flexural vibration of filamentous matter, such as polymeric or metallic fibers. This method enables us to measure the damping characteristics of very thin fibers (down to lateral dimensions of a few micrometers). The fiber sample is clamped at one extremity and excited in the flexural vibration mode of a cantilever beam configuration, using a piezoelectric actuator. While the fiber sample vibrates around a flexural eigenfrequency, structural damping is determined from the measurement of the curve of phase difference between excitation and motion. This technique does not require the amplitude of the fiber motion to be determined. The phase curve is inferred from the periodic disturbance occurring when the fiber acts as a shutter for a light beam. This method can be applied to fibers of arbitrary shape and material. Examples are shown of measurements with polymer and metallic fibers. Flexural damping is evaluated at atmospheric pressure and in vacuum. The technique is validated by a comparison with polypropylene damping measurements from standard dynamic mechanical thermal analysis techniques.

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Abbreviations

E 1 :

storage modulus

E 2 :

loss modulus

f :

vibration frequency

T(f) :

system transfer function

ϕ(f):

phase of the transfer function

f res :

system resonance frequency

α:

slope of ϕ(f) evaluated at resonance

w :

flexural displacement of the fiber

w 0 :

exciting displacement applied to the fiber

D :

energy loss in one vibration period

U m :

maximum potential energy of the vibrating structure

Q :

quality factor of the vibration

Q mat :

quality factor due to material viscoelasticity

Q air :

quality factor due to air damping

Q clamp :

quality factor due to damping at the clamp

η:

loss factor of the vibration

η mat :

loss factor due to material viscoelasticity

η air :

loss factor due to air damping

η clamp :

loss factor due to damping at the clamp

η vacuum :

loss factor evaluated in a vacuum chamber

σ:

loss angle due to material viscoelasticity

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Mechanical Systems, ETH Zürich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland

    D. Valtorta (PhD Student) & E. Mazza (Professor)

  2. Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, CH, Zürich, Switzerland

    J. Lefèvre (PhD Student)

Authors
  1. D. Valtorta
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  2. J. Lefèvre
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  3. E. Mazza
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Valtorta, D., Lefèvre, J. & Mazza, E. A new method for measuring damping in flexural vibration of thin fibers. Experimental Mechanics 45, 433–439 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02427991

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02427991

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