Frequency response of an impacting lap joint (Q1728945)

Summary: Damage or failure of a relatively small component can precipitate the failure of a larger part of a structure. The behavior of damaged or worn joints is of particular concern. To address contact/impact in structural systems, this work models a structural lap joint from first principles. A beam with four stops and gaps is used to simulate a loose or damaged lap joint, which also represents designed manufacturing clearances in mechanical systems. The goal is to generate frequency responses to identify the local shock effect due to impact. Spatial and temporal solutions are presented for an example case. Converged time histories were used to generate the impulse as a metric of frequency response. Facilitating mode contribution calculations, the metric of impulse proves to be an excellent indicator of complexities in the beam's motion due to excitation frequency. Noncontact regions, sticking motions, local extrema, grazing impacts, and aperiodicities are identifiable for specific operating parameters. These conditions indicate when harmful impact may occur that can ultimately cause local damage within a structure. Knowledge of dangerous operating conditions can better focus on inspection before propagation occurs.