Vibrations of an axially accelerating beam with small flexural stiffness

Transverse Vibrations of an axially moving beam are considered. The axial velocity is harmonically varying about a mean velocity. The equation of motion is expressed in terms of dimensionless quantities. The beam effects are assumed to be small. Since, in this case, the fourth order spatial derivative multiplies a small parameter, the mathematical model becomes a boundary layer type of problem. Approximate solutions are searched using the method of multiple scales and the method of matched asymptotic expansions. Results of both methods are contrasted with the outer solution. (C) 2000 Academic Press.