Abstract
Experimental results are presented on chaotic vibrations of a locally stepped beam constrained to axial compression. One end of the beam is clamped and the other end is simply-supported. The simply-supported end is elastically compressed by an axial spring. The dynamic responses of the beam are measured under lateral periodic acceleration. In typical frequency ranges, non-periodic responses are observed. The responses are examined by the Fourier spectra, the Poincare maps, the maximum Lyapunov exponents and the principal component analysis. The responses are found to be chaotic responses. In a specific axial compression of the post-buckled beam, the chaotic vibrations with dynamic snap-through phenomena are generated closed to the sub-harmonic resonance response of 1/2 order of the fundamental mode of vibration.
