Arbitrary Periodic Motions and Grazing Switching of a Forced Piecewise Linear, Impacting Oscillator

Abstract The grazing bifurcation and periodic motion switching of the harmonically forced, piecewise linear system with impacting are investigated. The generic mappings relative to the discontinuous boundaries of this piecewise system are introduced. Based on such mappings, the corresponding grazing conditions are obtained. The mapping structures are developed for the analytical prediction of periodic motions in such a system. The local stability and bifurcation conditions for specified periodic motions are obtained. The regular and grazing, periodic motions are illustrated. The grazing is the origin of the periodic motion switching for this system. Such a grazing bifurcation cannot be estimated through the local stability analysis. This model is applicable to prediction of periodic motions in nonlinear dynamics of gear transmission systems.