Author(s): Anna-Maria Vogel and Florian Becker

Abstract: Damping behavior in metallic solids plays a critical role in controlling vibration amplitudes, enhancing structural stability, and improving fatigue resistance in engineering components subjected to dynamic loading. Under small-amplitude vibrations, damping mechanisms are governed primarily by microstructural phenomena such as dislocation motion, grain boundary sliding, point defect interactions, and thermoelastic effects. Despite extensive theoretical and numerical studies, experimental characterization of damping in metallic materials under low excitation levels remains challenging due to measurement sensitivity and the coexistence of multiple dissipation mechanisms. This research presents an experimental investigation of damping characteristics in selected metallic solids subjected to controlled small-amplitude vibrational loading. Specimens fabricated from commonly used structural metals were tested using free and forced vibration techniques under ambient laboratory conditions. The damping ratios were evaluated from decay curves and frequency response functions obtained through high-resolution sensors and signal processing methods. Special emphasis was placed on isolating material-intrinsic damping from extrinsic losses arising from supports and instrumentation. The experimental results reveal measurable variations in damping behavior across different metals, highlighting the influence of elastic modulus, internal friction, and microstructural state on energy dissipation. The findings demonstrate that even under small vibrational amplitudes, metallic solids exhibit distinct and reproducible damping signatures that can be experimentally quantified. These results contribute to improved understanding of low-amplitude damping mechanisms and provide reliable experimental data for validating analytical and computational models. The outcomes of this investigation are relevant to precision mechanical systems, aerospace structures, and vibration-sensitive components where accurate damping characterization under small excitations is essential for design optimization and performance reliability. The research also underscores the importance of experimental rigor in minimizing boundary and measurement effects when evaluating intrinsic damping properties of metallic materials.

DOI: 10.22271/2707806X.2026.v7.i1a.55

Pages: 16-20 | Views: 22 | Downloads: 5

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