Branch switching at Hopf bifurcation analysis via asymptotic numerical method: Application to nonlinear free vibrations of rotating beams

This paper deals with the computation of backbone curves bifurcated from a Hopf bifurcation point in the framework of nonlinear free vibrations of a rotating flexible beams. The intrinsic and geometrical equations of motion for anisotropic beams subjected to large displacements are used and transformed with Galerkin and harmonic balance methods to one quadratic algebraic equation involving one parameter, the pulsation. The latter is treated with the asymptotic numerical method using Pade approximants. An algorithm, equivalent to the Lyapunov-Schmidt reduction is proposed, to compute the bifurcated branches accurately from a Hopf bifurcation point, with singularity of co-rank 2, related to a conservative and gyroscopic dynamical system steady state, toward a nonlinear periodic state. Numerical tests dealing with clamped, isotropic and composite, rotating beams show the reliability of the proposed method reinforced by accurate results. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.