Experimental measurement of material damping for space structures

A procedure for the measurement of material damping is described. The free decay of free-free beams, when lofted into free fall in vacuum, was recorded. Tests were performed on aluminum, graphite/epoxy, and graphite/magnesium metal matrix materials. Specimens with a fundamental free-free frequency below the elaxation frequency showed a higher level of damping and of stress dependence than predicted. For 0 sub 8 laminates, a material damping ratio of 0.00055 was found for fequencies varying from 45 Hz to 237 Hz. The damping was neither stress nor frequency dependent. For 90 sub 8 laminates, the damping ratio ranged from 0.0055 to 0.0066 as frequency ranged from 42 Hz to 143 Hz. Damping ratios for 90 sub 8 specimens were independent of stress. Experimentally measured damping ratios for metal matrix specimens with unidirectional graphite fibers, magnesium matrix, and either titanium or magnesium foil, ranged from .00039 to .00099, depending upon the matrix material, frequency, and possibly the stress range involved.