Space station structures and dynamics test program

The design, construction, and operation of a low-Earth orbit space station poses unique challenges for development and implementation of new technology. The technology arises from the special requirement that the station be built and constructed to function in a weightless environment, where static loads are minimal and secondary to system dynamics and control problems. One specific challenge confronting NASA is the development of a dynamics test program for: (1) defining space station design requirements, and (2) identifying the characterizing phenomena affecting the station's design and development. A general definition of the space station dynamic test program, as proposed by MSFC, forms the subject of this report. The test proposal is a comprehensive structural dynamics program to be launched in support of the space station. The test program will help to define the key issues and/or problems inherent to large space structure analysis, design, and testing. Development of a parametric data base and verification of the math models and analytical analysis tools necessary for engineering support of the station's design, construction, and operation provide the impetus for the dynamics test program. The philosophy is to integrate dynamics into the design phase through extensive ground testing and analytical ground simulations of generic systems, prototype elements, and subassemblies. On-orbit testing of the station will also be used to define its capability

Vortex-induced vibration of catenary riser: reduced-order modeling and lock-in analysis using wake oscillator

A new reduced-order model capable of analyzing the vortex-induced vibration of catenary riser in the ocean current has been developed. This semi analytical-numerical approach is versatile and allows for a significant reduction in computational effort for the analysis of fluid-riser interactions. The incoming current flow is assumed to be steady, uniform, unidirectional and perpendicular to the riser plane of initial equilibrium curvatures

Reduced-order modelling of vortex-induced vibration of catenary riser

A new reduced-order model capable of analyzing the vortex-induced vibration of catenary riser in the ocean current has been developed. This semi analytical-numerical approach is versatile and allows for a significant reduction in computational effort for the analysis of fluid-riser interactions. The incoming current flow is assumed to be steady, uniform, unidirectional and perpendicular to the riser plane of initial equilibrium curvatures. The equations of riser 3-D motion are based on a pinned-pinned, tensioned-beam or flexural cable, modelling which accounts for overall effects of riser bending, extensibility, sag, inclination and structural nonlinearities. The unsteady hydrodynamic forces associated with cross-flow and in-line vibrations are modelled as distributed van der Pol wake oscillators. This hydrodynamic model has been modified in order to capture the effect of varying initial curvatures of the inclined flexible cylinder and to describe the space-time fluctuation of lift and drag forces. Depending on the vortex-excited in-plane/out-of-plane modes and system fluid-structure parameters, the parametric studies are carried out to determine the maximum response amplitudes of catenary risers, along with the occurrence of uni-modal lock-in phenomenon. The obtained results highlight the effect of initial curvatures and geometric nonlinearities on the nonlinear dynamics of riser undergoing vortex-induced vibration

Torsional instability in suspension bridges: the Tacoma Narrows Bridge case

All attempts of aeroelastic explanations for the torsional instability of suspension bridges have been somehow criticised and none of them is unanimously accepted by the scientific community. We suggest a new nonlinear model for a suspension bridge and we perform numerical experiments with the parameters corresponding to the collapsed Tacoma Narrows Bridge. We show that the thresholds of instability are in line with those observed the day of the collapse. Our analysis enables us to give a new explanation for the torsional instability, only based on the nonlinear behavior of the structure

Modal Features and Dynamic Behavior of a Nonlinear 3D Guyed Mast with Uncertain Guys Pretension

The study of the nonlinear dynamic characteristics and response of a guyed mast, considering the uncertainty of the guys pretension is reported in this work. A computational model is constructed with the mast represented by an equivalent beam-column and the three guys at one level by cables with an initial pretension and only having tensile capacity. Starting from the energy formulation of beams and nonlinear cables, the continuous equations are discretized using finite element techniques, considering Hermite elements for the mast (Bernoulli beam theory) and quadratic elements for the nonlinear guys. Also, the second order effect due to the axial loads on the mast is taken into account. An ad hoc software, developed by the first author, is employed here to explore natural frequencies and modes of the structure considering the uncertainty propagation of the stochastic guys pretension. Since the guys design value can be modified at the construction stage and more, during the service life, the pretension force is modeled as a random variable with a probability density function (PDF) derived from the Principle of Maximum Entropy (PME). The model herein presented contributes to attain a more realistic description of the structure, mainly regarding the three-dimensional representation and the sensibility to the variability of the guys pretensions. The results here presented (natural frequencies and modes) obtained through an uncertainty quantification analysis, improve the understanding of the real dynamic properties and behavior of slender and flexible guyed structures.Publicado en: Mecánica Computacional vol. XXXV, no. 21Facultad de Ingenierí

Modal Features and Dynamic Behavior of a Nonlinear 3D Guyed Mast with Uncertain Guys Pretension

The study of the nonlinear dynamic characteristics and response of a guyed mast, considering the uncertainty of the guys pretension is reported in this work. A computational model is constructed with the mast represented by an equivalent beam-column and the three guys at one level by cables with an initial pretension and only having tensile capacity. Starting from the energy formulation of beams and nonlinear cables, the continuous equations are discretized using finite element techniques, considering Hermite elements for the mast (Bernoulli beam theory) and quadratic elements for the nonlinear guys. Also, the second order effect due to the axial loads on the mast is taken into account. An ad hoc software, developed by the first author, is employed here to explore natural frequencies and modes of the structure considering the uncertainty propagation of the stochastic guys pretension. Since the guys design value can be modified at the construction stage and more, during the service life, the pretension force is modeled as a random variable with a probability density function (PDF) derived from the Principle of Maximum Entropy (PME). The model herein presented contributes to attain a more realistic description of the structure, mainly regarding the three-dimensional representation and the sensibility to the variability of the guys pretensions. The results here presented (natural frequencies and modes) obtained through an uncertainty quantification analysis, improve the understanding of the real dynamic properties and behavior of slender and flexible guyed structures.Publicado en: Mecánica Computacional vol. XXXV, no. 21Facultad de Ingenierí

Modal Features and Dynamic Behavior of a Nonlinear 3D Guyed Mast with Uncertain Guys Pretension

The study of the nonlinear dynamic characteristics and response of a guyed mast, considering the uncertainty of the guys pretension is reported in this work. A computational model is constructed with the mast represented by an equivalent beam-column and the three guys at one level by cables with an initial pretension and only having tensile capacity. Starting from the energy formulation of beams and nonlinear cables, the continuous equations are discretized using finite element techniques, considering Hermite elements for the mast (Bernoulli beam theory) and quadratic elements for the nonlinear guys. Also, the second order effect due to the axial loads on the mast is taken into account. An ad hoc software, developed by the first author, is employed here to explore natural frequencies and modes of the structure considering the uncertainty propagation of the stochastic guys pretension. Since the guys design value can be modified at the construction stage and more, during the service life, the pretension force is modeled as a random variable with a probability density function (PDF) derived from the Principle of Maximum Entropy (PME). The model herein presented contributes to attain a more realistic description of the structure, mainly regarding the three-dimensional representation and the sensibility to the variability of the guys pretensions. The results here presented (natural frequencies and modes) obtained through an uncertainty quantification analysis, improve the understanding of the real dynamic properties and behavior of slender and flexible guyed structures.Publicado en: Mecánica Computacional vol. XXXV, no. 21Facultad de Ingenierí

High Speed Chaos in Optical Feedback System with Flexible Timescales

We describe a new opto-electronic device with time-delayed feedback that uses a Mach-Zehnder interferometer as passive nonlinearity and a semiconductor laser as a current-to-optical-frequency converter. Bandlimited feedback allows tuning of the characteristic time scales of both the periodic and high dimensional chaotic oscillations that can be generated with the device. Our implementation of the device produces oscillations in the frequency range of tens to hundreds of MHz. We develop a model and use it to explore the experimentally observed Andronov-Hopf bifurcation of the steady state and to estimate the dimension of the chaotic attractor.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, to be published in IEEE J. Quantum Electro