Dynamic simulation of the Wilberforce pendulum using constrained spatial nonlinear beam finite elements

More than 100 years ago, Lionel Robert Wilberforce did investigations On the Vibrations of a Loaded Spiral Spring [1]. The spring was clamped at its upper side and on other side, perpendicular to axis, steel cylinder attached. Four screws with adjustable nuts were symmetrically attached around in order change moment inertia (Fig. 1). In this paper pendulum is modeled by rigid body constrained spatial nonlinear Timoshenko beam, discretized B-spline shape functions. As shown numerical experiment, presented model capable reproducing characteristic motion.