Dynamic Analysis of Composite Rotating Shafts
Summary
Composite rotating shafts combine high strength-to-weight ratios, tailorability of fibre orientation and damping properties, offering significant advantages in aerospace, turbomachinery and renewable energy systems. Dynamic analysis addresses anisotropic stiffness, rotary inertia, shear deformation and gyroscopic coupling that govern vibration and stability. Models range from classical and layerwise beam theories to three-dimensional finite element formulations, often derived via Hamilton’s principle and discretised through methods such as Rayleigh–Ritz, variational asymptotic or differential quadrature. Nonlinearities from geometric stretching, material damping and thermal effects generate complex responses including forward–backward whirling, bifurcations and instability thresholds. The resulting Campbell diagrams reveal critical speed loci and resonance conditions, guiding design to avoid excessive vibration and fatigue. Recent advances focus on accurate prediction of damping energy dissipation, incorporation of temperature-dependent material properties and optimisation of lay-up sequences to enhance critical speeds and stability margins. Integration of experimental validation and high-fidelity simulation underpins the transition from fundamental theory to practical rotor-shaft systems.
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Dynamic Analysis of Composite Rotating Shafts publication trend
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Technical terms
Anisotropy: Variation of material properties with direction due to fibre orientation in composites.
Gyroscopic effect: Coupling between rotational motion and lateral vibration caused by angular momentum.
Critical speed: Rotor speed at which natural frequency coincides with excitation, leading to resonance.
Campbell diagram: Plot of natural frequencies versus rotational speed used to identify resonance and stability regions.
References
- Analysis of the Dynamic Behavior of a Rotating Composite Hollow Shaft. Latin American Journal of Solids and Structures (2017).
- Dynamic Behaviour Analysis of Turbocharger Rotor‐Shaft System in Thermal Environment Based on Finite Element Method. Shock and Vibration (2020).
- Generalized Differential Quadrature Method for Free Vibration Analysis of a Rotating Composite Thin‐Walled Shaft. Mathematical Problems in Engineering (2019).
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