On the role of Rayleigh damping

The computation of the Rayleigh damping coefficients α and β is an important consideration in the area of the modal superposition technique. In this paper, an experimental investigation carried out on square and rectangular plates with various boundary conditions to determine the damping ratios for a few modes of vibration is reported. Based on the experimental findings, the Rayleigh damping coefficients can be computed for subsequent use in the modal superposition technique.