An experimental investigation of the damping contribution of an elastomeric ablator on aluminum beams

Damping results are presented for an elastometric ablation material bonded to an aluminum alloy substrate. Tests were conducted on aluminum beams 0.159, 0.318, and 0.476 cm thick, and with and without an ablator. Ablation-material thickness varied from 0.159 to 0.953 cm. Comparative damping data were obtained by using variations of the free-free beam technique with strain gages and piezoelectric transducers. Of the two test arrangements employed, the technique using strain gages produced results that indicated less restraint of the beams. Ablation material, in thicknesses less than 1 cm, substantially increased the damping parameter of the aluminum beams.