Free Vibration Analysis of Cantilever Beams with Transverse Open Cracks

Abstract

For many engineering applications, beams are essential models for the structural elements and have been studied extensively. The structures planned to support high speed engines and turbines are subjected to vibration. Mild steel specimens of square area of cross section are considered for the experiment and the experimental results are contrasted with numerical analysis using Finite Element Method (FEM) in MATLAB environment. The crack considered is transverse crack which open in nature. Due to the presence of crack, the total flexibility matrix is established by adding local additional flexibility matrix to the flexibility matrix of the corresponding intact beam element .The local additional flexibility matrix is obtained from Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics theory. Numerical study to validate the accuracy of the present (FEM) analysis is done. Experimental work is carried out to study the affect of presence of crack in uniform beams of square area of cross section for cantilever boundary condition.