Abstract

Distributed structures are often coupled to external components in engineering applications: The recording head in disk and tape drives, the guide bearing in circular and band saws, and the payload in cable transport systems are a few examples. Because the transient response of a distributed structure is characterized by complex multiple wave scattering at an external component, this behavior has rarely been explored. Classical transient analyses by finite difference, finite element, and modal expansion approaches use spatial discretization. As a result, some discontinuities in the interaction force between a distributed structure and an external component, a characteristic of multiple wave scattering, are not predicted in the normal application of these methods. A new transient analysis is developed in this chapter for the response of distributed structures interacting with discrete components. The transient response of a time-varying, cable transport system is analyzed first. The transient and steady-state responses of constrained translating strings are obtained next. Transient behaviors of cables transporting dynamic payloads and translating, magnetic tape-head systems are thoroughly investigated. Application of the method to the classical piano string response under a hammer strike avoids key limitations of the existing standing and traveling wave methods.

Introduction

Distributed structures are usually coupled to external dynamic components in engineering applications.