Boundary layers and nonlinear vibrations in an axially moving beam (Q1390113)

We analyze the nonlinear oscillations of a one-dimensional axially moving beam with vanishing flexural stiffness and weak nonlinearities. The solution of the initial-boundary value problem for the partial differential equation that describes the motion of the beam when two parameters related to the flexural stiffness and the nonlinear terms vanish, is expanded into a perturbative double series. Two singular perturbation effects due to the small flexural stiffness and to the weak nonlinear terms arise: (i) a boundary layer effect when the flexural stiffness vanishes, (ii) a secular effect. Some tests are performed to compare the ``first-order'' perturbative solution with an approximate solution obtained by a finite difference scheme.