Abstract
Experimental results are presented on chaotic vibration of a thin lead valve with impacts. A model of the valve composed of a cantilevered beam is excited laterally by an exciter. Chaotic responses involving impacts of the beam are examined by the power spectrum and the Poincare projection. The maximum Lyapunov exponents of the responses are calculated. The mode contribution to the chaos is inspected by the principal component analysis. The chaotic responses by impacts are accompanied with higher modes of vibration. Increasing exciting frequency, the maximum Lyapunov exponent of the chaos increases and the generation of the 2nd mode of vibration becomes obvious. As exciting amplitude increase, contribution of the 2nd mode to the chaos becomes higher.
