Some Counter-intuitive Problems in Dynamics and Vibration
Dr. Hugh Hunt
CUED
Mechanical Vibration and Dynamics are taught to undergraduates as if they
simple sciences. The mass-on-a-spring, uni-axial vibration of a rod,
viscous damping, modal analysis - all these are the bread and butter of
vibration science. As for rigid-body dynamics undergraduate courses remain
fixed in 2-D planar motion. But real dynamic and vibrating systems just
don't behave simply. There are pitfalls in even the most ordinary cases
and some of these will be demonstrated: a tuning fork; a bottle of coke;
a bending beam; a turbocharger wheel, a bouncing ball, a rolling ball and
boomerangs. All of these things behave counter-intuitively.
This colloquium will be filled with practical demonstrations - seeing is
believing. Most are demonstrations that can be repeated at home.
