A Theoretical Approach to Determine Angular Stiffness and Damping Coefficients of an Axial Spline Coupling in High-Speed Rotating Machinery

This paper provided the first opportunity to quantify the angular stiffness and equivalent viscous damping coefficients of an axial spline coupling used in high-speed turbomachinery. A unique test methodology and data reduction procedures were developed. The bending moments and angular deflections transmitted across an axial spline coupling were measured while a non-rotating shaft was excited by an external shaker. A rotordynamics computer program was used to simulate the test conditions and to correlate the angular stiffness and damping coefficients. In addition, sensitivity analyses were performed to demonstrate that the accuracy of the dynamic coefficients do not rely on the accuracy of the data reduction procedures.