Date of Award

2013

Degree Type

Thesis

Department

Mechanical Engineering

First Advisor

Rashidi, Majid

Subject Headings

SolidWorks, Plates (Engineering) -- Vibration, Anisotropy, Three-dimensional display systems, Violin -- Construction -- Italy -- Cremona, Stradivari, Antonio, approximately 1644-1737, Vibration analysis 3D modelling frequency mode shapes

Abstract

This thesis presents vibration analysis of the top plate of Stradivari violin by creating a 3D model using SolidWorks and finding mode shapes and natural frequencies using SolidWorks simulation. The top plate was affixed to the bottom plate via a side wall following the contour of the violin plates. Assuming the input excitation is sinusoidal, it was applied at the location of bridge where the strings rest on it.. The static component of the force was calculated to be 83.17 N. The first five natural frequencies of the violin top plate are in the range of 150 to 450 Hertz. The fact that frequencies associated with initial pitches of sound lie in the same region validates the analysis conducted since sound is generated in form of pressure waves at the resonant frequencies. Initial step was to validate the computational code used in the finite element software. This was achieved with 0.7 error as compared to the theoretical values of a thin flat steel plate clamped at all four ends. In the next step violin sound box (top plate, rib and bottom plate) were modelled using Stradivari violin specifications. Designing aspects of SolidWorks were successfully explored. Conventional vibration analysis (modal analysis) has an experimental approach using carefully devised instruments and sensors. The downside of this approach is that it does not look at the situation where the violin is actually played by a human. This simulation study focuses on the aforementioned situation. Vibration simulation saves on experimentation cost and enables design engineers to study machine components that undergo deformations due to vibration to avoid catastrophic failure

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