Dynamics of Spinning Viscoelastic Tapered Shafts with Axial Motion

In this paper, the vibration and stability of spinning viscoelastic tapered shafts with axial motion are investigated. The model of the shaft system is developed by incorporating the spinning motion, axial motion, axial load, viscoelasticity, and geometric properties. The coupled governing equations of motion of the spinning shaft system are obtained by applying Hamilton's principle. By employing the Laplace transform and Galerkin discretization method, the natural frequency and modal damping are computed. Also, the critical divergence axial and spinning velocities, as well as the flutter axial velocity, are determined. As a result, the divergence and flutter instability conditions of the system are examined. The effects of the main parameters, such as taper ratio, axial load, and viscoelasticity of material, on the vibration behavior of the shaft system are evaluated. The results show that compared to the homogeneous spinning shaft system with uniform cross-section, the vibration and stability of the viscoelastic tapered shaft system undergo an essential evolution. It is further demonstrated that the axial load and viscoelasticity are also the key parameters governing the stability of the system.