Experimental investigation of single-mode responses in a fixed-fixed buckled beam

The nonlinear, single-mode responses of a fixed-fixed, buckled beam are investigated under the case of a uniform, transverse, harmonic excitation. In order to avoid axial slipping and to obtain meaningful data, a clamping apparatus was designed to maximize the clamping force applied to the beam. To fully characterize the single-mode responses, data were obtained at various levels of buckling up to 3.3 times the thickness of the beam. The data demonstrate that at a low level of buckling, supercritical period doubling occurs during an amplitude sweep in which the first mode is directly excited. However, as the buckling level increases, the period-doubling bifurcation becomes subcritical during such amplitude sweeps. In addition, a period-five motion, broadband responses, and responses with an unexplained sideband structure were observed.