Frequency sweep for a beam system with local unilateral contact modeling satellite solar arrays
For satellite designers, this work addresses the need to model and understand nonlinear vibrations in flexible solar arrays to prevent damage, but it is incremental as it applies existing methods to a specific application.
The authors studied the nonlinear dynamics of satellite solar arrays with local unilateral contact (rubber snubbers) using finite element analysis and frequency sweeps, finding that the nonlinear normal modes are under investigation.
In order to save mass of satellite solar arrays, the flexibility of the panels becomes not negligible and they may strike each other; this may damage the structure. To prevent this, rubber snubbers are mounted at well chosen points of the structure and they act as one sided linear spring; as a negative consequence, the dynamic of these panels becomes nonlinear. The finite element approximation is used to solve partial differential equations governing the structural dynamic. Frequency sweep has been performed numerically to study the dynamic behavior. Non linear normal modes are under study