On the controllability of a slowly rotating Timoshenko beam (Q1301261)

Problems related to stress distribution in rotating beams (think about blades of helicopters) have been a subject of intense investigation by mechanical engineers in the 1960's and 70's, mostly in U.S. Army reports and minor engineering publications. Andersson's name appears frequently in these reports. The engineers noted that the Euler-Bernoulli model is not well-suited to their problems, and that the rotational inertia of the cross-section of the beam must be also taken in account. The Timoshenko model offers a necessary correction. Applications of control theory started in the early eighties. Much of the early research was summarized in the 1992 monograph of \textit{W. Krabs} [On moment theory and controllability of one-dimensional vibrating systems and heating processes. Lecture Notes in Control and Information Sciences 173, Springer (1992)]. A nonlinear mathematical model for a rotating Timoshenko beam was derived in 1997 by \textit{Xiao-Jin Xiong} [Ph. D. Thesis, Mc Gill University]. However, in Xiong's thesis and in subsequent mathematical papers using his model the aim is to optimize against failure of stability, which means the raising of the absolute value of the fundamental (first) eigenvalue. Even ignoring the possibility of failure due to high stress value, this problem is very difficult. It is tempting to assume that the beam rotates slowly and to ignore the nonlinear terms. However, in slow rotation the primary concern is the maximum stress rather than the loss of stability. Nevertheless, even if the problems posed here are not pertinent to most common rotor blade designs for helicopters, they are still both physically and mathematically interesting. The Xiong system of equations is: \[ \partial^2 w/\partial t^2-\partial^2 w/\partial x^2- \partial\xi/ \partial t=-\partial^2 \theta(t)/ \partial t^2(r+x) \] \[ \partial^2 \xi/\partial t^2-\partial^2 \xi/ \partial x^2+\xi+ \partial w/\partial x=\partial^2 \theta(t)/ \partial t^2, \] where \(w=w(x,t)\) is the deflection of the neutral axis (possibly center line, depending on geometry) of the beam, \(\xi\) is the angle of rotation of the cross-sectional area (the Timoshenko term), \(\theta\) is the angle of rotation of the motor disk, \(r\) the radius of this disk, \(0<x<1\), \(t\geq 0\). Physically obvious boundary conditions and zero initial conditions are assumed. In his thesis Xiong considers a priori specified conditions at a future time \(T\), while the present authors prefer a control which drives to zero both deflections and velocities at time \(T\). The authors pose this problem in an \(H^2\) setting. The state operator is positive and self-adjoint. The problem is shown to be an eigenvalue problem. Eigenvalues are of finite multiplicity. An estimate is obtained on the magnitude of the smallest eigenvalue. The controllability problem is shown to be a moment problem in disguise. For the system displayed above they show that the system is controllable if \(T\) is large enough.