An indirect torsional vibration receptance measurement method for shaft structures

Abstract In this paper, an indirect method for measuring torsional vibration of shaft structures is established. In conventional torsional vibration measurement, knowledge of two fundamental quantities is needed: a torque applied to the system and the angle of twist thus produced, which are both difficult to measure in experiment. In this indirect method, neither a deliberate torque excitation system nor an angular transducer is needed. Instead, a T-like beam structure is introduced and attached to one end of a shaft structure whereby the torques are produced by ordinary forces and only linear accelerometers at a few locations of the beam structure are used. Through the small finite element model of the T-like beam structure, the torsional receptance linking the torque to the angle of twist of the shafting systems is derived from the measured receptances of linear acceleration to the excitation force. This indirect theoretical-experimental combined method overcomes the difficulties and the associated poor accuracy in measuring receptances of torsional vibration of shaft structures, and hence is very useful. Numerical simulation of a test structure with noisy parameters and noisy simulated receptance data is made to validate the theoretical soundness of the method. Vibration tests are carried out on a laboratory shaft structure to demonstrate its accuracy and ease of use.