THE MODES OF NON-HOMOGENEOUS DAMPED BEAMS

This short note is concerned with computing the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of a continuous beam model with damping, using the separation of variables approach. The beam considered has different stiffness, damping and mass properties in each of two parts. Pinned boundary conditions are assumed at each end, although other boundary conditions may be applied at the ends quite simply. Although applications are not considered in detail, one possible example is a thin beam partly submerged in a fluid. The fluid would add considerable damping and mass to the beam structure, and possibly some stiffness. Yang and Zhang [1] calculated these added mass and damping coefficients for parallel flat plates.