Flexural vibration band gaps in Timoshenko beams with locally resonant structures

Flexural vibration in Timoshenko beams with periodically attached local resonators is studied theoretically and experimentally. The existence of a low frequency flexural vibration gap is indicated by the complex band structure calculated with transfer matrix theory for an infinite beam, as well as the frequency response function calculated with the finite element method for a finite Timoshenko beam with finite local resonators. This finite Timoshenko beam was manufactured and vibration experiments generated an experimental frequency response function curve showing a vibration gap as expected. The existence of low frequency gaps in Timoshenko beams with local resonators provides a method of flexural vibration control of beams. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.