Finite element analysis of slip damping in riveted built-up beams

Damping in built-up structures is produced by the energy dissipation due to micro-slip along the frictional interfaces. A finite element model of the linear elastic system has been formulated using the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory to investigate the damping phenomena in riveted connections. The discrete element system having two degrees of freedom per node representing v and ∂v/∂x has been used for the analysis. The generalised stiffness and mass matrices for this element have been derived. Further, the modal analysis has been presented to determine the natural mode shapes and frequencies during free vibration. Extensive experiments have been conducted for the validation of the analysis. From this study, it is established that the damping capacity increases and the natural frequency decreases due to the joint effects.