Vibration Characteristics of Low Aspect Ratio Compressor Blades

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a study of the vibration characteristics of low aspect ratio compressor blades. The treatment is based on thin shell theory and the Rayleigh-Ritz method is used to obtain the eigenvectors and eigenvalues. The object is to elucidate those characteristics which are inaccessible using beam theory. Results are presented which show the variation of the natural frequencies and mode shapes with angle of twist, aspect ratio, and angle of inclination of the base of the blade. A three-dimensional plot of the bending mode frequencies versus aspect ratio and twist angle is presented. Although the surfaces describing the variation of frequencies for specific modes do not intersect, there is a point of contact. This contact point is significant in the transition of mode shapes along the frequency surfaces. It is demonstrated that the “stiff-direction” or “in-plane” vibration of the untwisted plate evolves into coupled bending modes as the twist angle increases from zero and that the character of these modes changes in the vicinity of the contact point.