Abstract: An apparatus and method for non-destructively determining non-musical physical characteristics such as the Young's modulus, stiffness coefficient, and damping coefficient of a test piece of arbitrary shape. The apparatus consists of a frame having a natural vibrational frequency different from the free vibrational frequency of the test piece, a mechanism for fixing the test piece to the frame, a mechanism for initiating free vibrations in the test piece, a mechanism to measure the displacement of the test piece during the free vibrations, and a mechanism to measure time during the free vibrations. The amplitude, frequency, and decay characteristics of the free vibrations are analyzed mathematically to determine the physical characteristics. The apparatus may include a mechanism to control the initial deflection applied to the test piece. The apparatus may include a mechanism to control the initial load applied to the test piece.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for non-destructively determining non-musical physical characteristics such as the Young's modulus, stiffness coefficient, and damping coefficient of a test piece of arbitrary shape. The apparatus consists of a frame having a natural vibrational frequency different from the free vibrational frequency of the test piece, a mechanism for fixing the test piece to the frame, a mechanism for initiating free vibrations in the test piece, a mechanism to measure the displacement of the test piece during the free vibrations, and a mechanism to measure time during the free vibrations. The amplitude, frequency, and decay characteristics of the free vibrations are analyzed mathematically to determine the physical characteristics. The apparatus may include a mechanism to control the initial deflection applied to the test piece. The apparatus may include a mechanism to control the initial load applied to the test piece.