AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY OF AN IMPACTING PENDULUM

This letter catalogues a number of periodic and chaotic responses exhibited by a periodically excited impacting pendulum. Numerical simulation of the underlying equation of motion shows excellent correlation with experimental results. A number of specific techniques are developed to capture and characterize this type of non-linear behavior. A similar spectrum of responses could be expected under the variation of an alternative parameter such as forcing amplitude or damping. Many physical systems possess stiffness discontinuities, and under the action of periodic external excitation these complicated responses tend to be the rule rather than the exception.