Motion Analysis of a Translating Flexible Beam Carrying a Moving Mass

This paper investigates vibrational motion of a flexible beam fixed on a moving cart and carrying a moving mass. The equations of motion of the beam-mass-cart system are analysed through the unconstrained modal analysis. The exact normal mode solution used in modal analysis correspond to the eigenfrequencies for each position of the moving mass and to the ratios of the weight of the beam-mass-car system. Time solutions of normal modes are also transformed properly according to the position of the moving mass. Numerical simulations are carried out to obtain open-loop responses of the system in tracking pre-designed paths of the moving mass. The simulation results show that the model predicts the dynamic behavior of the beam-mass-cart system well. Experiments are carried out to show the validity of the proposed analytical method.