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Cutchins, M. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Cutchins, M. A..

Damping phenomena in a wire rope vibration isolation system

A study is presented of the dynamic characteristics of a wire rope vibration isolation system constructed with helical isolators, with emphasis placed on the analytical modeling of damping mechanisms in the system. An experimental investigation is described in which the static stiffness curve, hysteresis curves, phase plane trajectories, and frequency response curves are obtained. A semiempirical model having nonlinear stiffness, nth-power velocity damping, and variable Coulomb friction damping is developed, and the results are compared to experimental data. Several observations and conclusions are made about the dynamic phenomena in a typical wire rope vibration isolation system based on the experimental and semiempirical results.

Tinker, M. L.

Analysis of coils of wire rope arranged for passive damping

Vibration dampers constructed with multiple loops of wire rope are studied. The literature on such devices is reviewed briefly, and dynamic and static models of them are examined. Fundamental and advanced NASTRAN models for wire rope damping are considered.

Cutchins, M. A.

Initial investigations into the damping characteristics of wire rope vibration isolators

Passive dampers composed of coils of multi-strand wire rope are investigated. Analytical results range from those produced by complex NASTRAN models to those of a Coulomb damping model with variable friction force. The latter agrees well with experiment. The Coulomb model is also utilized to generate hysteresis loops. Various other models related to early experimental investigations are described. Significant closed-form static solutions for physical properties of single-and multi-strand wire ropes are developed for certain specific geometries and loading conditions. NASTRAN models concentrate on model generation and mode shapes of 2-strand and 7-strand straight wire ropes with interfacial forces.

Cutchins, M. A.

Finite element models of wire rope for vibration analysis

The usefulness of wire rope in shock and vibration isolation is briefly reviewed and its modeling for the purpose of vibration analysis is addressed. A model of a nominally straight segment of wire rope is described in which the rope structure is represented by a maiden, or central, strand of wire with one (or more) strand(s) wrapped around it in a helix (helices). The individual strands are modeled using finite elements and MSC NASTRAN. Small linear segments of each wire are modeled mathematically by dividing them lengthwise into triangular prisms representing each prism by a solid NASTRAN element. To model pretensioning and allow for extraction of internal force information from the NASTRAN model, the wound strands are connected to the maiden strand and each other using spring (scalar elastic) elements. Mode shapes for a length of wire rope with one and fixed to a moving base and the other attached to a point mass, are presented. The use of the NASTRAN derived mode shapes to approximate internal normal forces in equations of motion for vibration analyses is considered.

Cochran, J. E., Jr.

An investigation of the damping phenomena in wire rope isolators

Early investigations into analytically modeling the dynamics of wire rope vibration isolators are described. Results from both very simple and very complex models are shown. The dynamic model which has the best agreement to date with simple one-dimensional experiments is one which includes a Coulomb friction force which varies with frequency. There are many yet unexplained phenomena, however. The fundamentals which underly multistrand NASTRAN models are given, and some early results are shown. An application simulation is briefly described, as is ongoing research.

Cutchins, M. A.

A simulation language approach to structural interaction problems

Advantages and disadvantages of using simulation languages in solving structural problems are given. Structural and solid mechanics problems which have strong interactions with other disciplines are emphasized. An aeroservoelastic illustration is described with significant interactions between the dynamics of a flexible flight vehicle structure, the aerodynamics to which it is subjected, the dynamic flight equations, and the vehicle's servo-control system.

Cutchins, M. A.