Measurement of vibrational power transmission in curved beams

Previous research into structural vibration transmission paths has shown that it is possible to measure vibrational power transmission in simple beam and plate structures. However, in many practical structures transmission paths are composed of more complex, curved elements, therefore there is a need to extend vibrational power transmission analyses to this class structure. In a companion publication [1] expressions were derived which described vibrational power transmission due to predominantly flexural, extensional and shear types of travelling wave in a curved beam where the neutral axis forms a plane curve of constant radius of curvature. In this paper, a strategy to measure vibrational power transmission in a curved beam is developed and applied to an experimental mild steel beam. The experimental apparatus is described and the measurement method outlined. Results of experimental measurements of the vibrational power transmitted along the beam are presented and compared to corresponding values of the power input to the structure. (C) 2001 Academic Press.