Steady-state whirling motions of thin filaments

The steady-state whirling motion of linear elastic filaments under self-weight with rotary excitation at one end and free at the other is examined; specifically, the effect of bending rigidity is investigated both theoretically and experimentally. Similarities between the problem of a perfectly flexible string and filament with non-negligible bending stiffness are exploited in identifying the possible modes of oscillation. The theoretical predictions have been compared with the experimental results for thin filaments with different bending rigidities to demonstrate the effect of bending directly.