Dynamics of a non-autonomous double pendulum model forced by biharmonic excitation with soft stops

Abstract

Pendulums and similar systems, such as links of chains, bodies hanging on ropes, kinematic chains forming working parts of manipulators, and robotic devices, are frequently used in industrial applications. They often cooperate in tubes or working spaces limited by walls or other rigid obstacles. This was the inspiration to carry out this study on the influence of impacts on the behaviour of a chain-like system represented by a double pendulum moving between two vertical walls. The simulations were performed for a specified extent of excitation frequencies. The results indicate a number of bifurcations that change the character of the induced motion to regular, quasi-periodic, and chaotic in the individual frequency subintervals.