On the stability of a Timoshenko beam on an elastic foundation under a moving spring-mass system (Q1073618)

The stability problem of densely distributed oscillators moving along a Timoshenko beam on an elastic foundation is considered. The forward speed of the moving subsystem is assumed to be constant. The friction at the contact line between the beam and the oscillator set is neglected. A qualitatively new instability region is found. It is pointed out that the critical velocity for some system parameters takes smaller values than the velocity of shear waves or the velocity of longitudinal waves.