This text is dedicated to the identification of discontinuities (e.g., associated with system displacement, system velocity, and material properties) in the stiffness properties of mechanical systems and how these discontinuities affect system behavior with regards to mechanical vibrations. The authors seek to demonstrate that some systems that present a discontinuity in their properties can be treated as nonlinear functions while others can be modified in such a way that the discontinuity can be modeled as part of the damping properties. They present models for mechanical systems that show stiffness discontinuities, showing how they vary among elements such as gears, bearings, or rotor rubbing; describe systems that present stiffness variations due to large deformations; model continuous systems with stiffness continuities that combine soft and hard materials; and present system identification, phase diagram analysis, and time-frequency maps as useful analytical methods for nonlinear systems. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
