Parameter identification for a heavy rope with internal damping

A method is presented that allows for the identification of parameters in systems described by linear partial differential equations with spatially dependent coefficients. The approach uses operational calculus to generate equations that involve only convolution products of known (boundary) measurements and the system parameters. In particular, a heavy rope model with an internal damping and a horizontally moving suspension point is addressed. Knowledge of two trajectories at the suspension is sufficient to identify all physical parameters of the rope. This is also illustrated by a simulation result. (© 2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)