Vibrations in a spatial K-shaped metallic frame: an exact analytical study with experimental validation

Abstract

In a spatial K-shaped metallic frame, there exist in- and out-of-plane bending, axial, and torsional vibrations. A wave-based vibration analysis approach is applied to obtain free and forced vibration responses in a space frame. In order to validate the analytical approach, a steel K-shaped space frame was built by welding four beam elements of rectangular and square cross-section together. Bending vibrations are modeled using both the classical Euler–Bernoulli theory and the advanced Timoshenko theory. This allows the effects of rotary inertia and shear distortion, which were neglected in the classical Euler–Bernoulli theory, to be studied. In addition, the effect of torsional rigidity adjustment for structures of rotationally non-symmetric cross-section is also examined.