Experiment and Analysis on the Free Dynamics of a Shallow Arch After an Impact Load at the End

Abstract

In this paper we consider a sinusoidal arch with one end pinned in space while the other end attached to a mass and supported by a spring. The supporting wall of the spring is moved a distance quasi-statically to initiate preload in the arch and the spring. The assembly is then set in motion by an impact at the attached mass. The condition under which the arch may snap to the other side dynamically depends on the initial speed of the attached mass due to impact. Sufficient condition on the initial speed against dynamic snap-through is formulated based on the concept of minimum energy barrier. The effects of damping on the transient response of the assembly are also discussed. An experimental setup is designed to measure the transient response of the arch following the impact and the critical initial speed of the attached mass. The experimental results are in good agreement with theoretical predictions.