VIBRATION DAMPING OF TAPERED UNCONSTRAINED BEAMS.

The effects of boundary conditions and non-uniform distribution of the damping material over a beam on its composite loss factor are investigated in the present paper. This study indicates that, for a cantilever beam, the conventional method of uniformly applying the damping material over the entire length of the beam may not be the best way of attaining good damping. An alternative tapered distribution of the same amount of damping material, which is thickest at the clamped edge and thinnest at the free edge, can be 300 percent more effective in damping the flexural vibration.