Instabilities in the main parametric resonance area of a mechanical system with a pendulum

Vibrations of an autoparametric system, composed of a nonlinear mechanical oscillator with an attached damped pendulum, around the principal resonance region, are investigated in this paper. Approximate analytical solutions of the model are determined on the basis of the Harmonic Balance Method (HBM). Correctness of the analytical results is verified by numerical simulations and experimental tests performed on an especially prepared experimental rig. The influence of all essential parameters such as damping, excitation amplitude and frequency, nonlinear stiffness of the spring, on the localisation of the instability region and the system dynamics is presented in the work. Regions of regular system oscillations, chaotic motions, and full rotation of the pendulum are confirmed experimentally.