Simulation of the nonlinear vibration of a string using the cellular automation method

In this study, the nonlinear dynamic responses of a string were simulated using the cellular automaton (CA) method. The local rules were set for the amplitude of vibration and the decay rate of amplitude. In the case of nonlinear systems, the velocity of wave propagation is not constant and depends on the amplitude. Thus, a new treatment of the time step was proposed, i.e., the time step in the CA method is adjusted to real time by considering the effect of the propagation velocity. As numerical examples, first, the dynamic responses of a string with linear characteristic were simulated and a typical resonance curve could be obtained. Secondly the dynamic responses of a string with nonlinear characteristic were simulated. Some characteristic types of vibration could be obtained. It was concluded that the linear and nonlinear dynamic responses of a string could be simulated using the CA method.