Micro/macro-slip damping in beams with frictional contact interface

Friction in contact interfaces of assembled structures is the prime source of nonlinearity and energy dissipation. Determination of the dissipated energy in an assembled structure requires accurate modeling of joint interfaces in stick, micro-slip and macro-slip states. The present paper proposes an analytical model to evaluate frictional energy loss in surface-to-surface contacts. The goal is to develop a continuous contact model capable of predicting the dynamics of friction interface and dissipation energy due to partial slips. To achieve this goal, the governing equations of a frictional contact interface are derived for two distinct contact states of stick and partial slip. A solution procedure to determine stick–slip transition under single-harmonic excitations is derived. The analytical model is verified using experimental vibration test responses performed on a free-frictionally supported beam under lateral loading. The theoretical and experimental responses are compared and the results show good agreements between the two sets of responses.