Analysis of damping characteristics for viscoelastic laminated beams

Vibration is normally viewed as undesirable, not only owing to the resulting unpleasant motions, noise, and dynamic stresses possibly leading to fatigue and failure of the structure or machine, but also owing to the energy losses and degraded performance. Technological advances have further enhanced the means of controlling vibration in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, civil engineering and related applications. The feasibility of developing a viscoelastic damping material of structures for vibration damping has received extensive interest. Surface treatment uses high damping viscoelastic materials firmly attached to the surface of structural elements. Optimal design depends on the ability to accurately predict and effectively control the vibration of a structure with viscoelastic damping treatment. Understanding the damping characteristics of viscoelastically damped structures becomes necessary. This study analyzes the design parameters for constrained layer damping structures by employing the Ross-Kerwin-Ungar (RKU) model. The effects of temperature, frequency and the dimensions of damped structures on vibration damping characteristics are also discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.