An experimental + analytical study to find the natural frequencies, mode shapes, and damping of a simply supported beam. The beam is excited (sine sweep/impact), its acceleration is measured, and the frequency response is computed (FFT). Results are compared with Euler–Bernoulli beam theory for a simply supported–simply supported (S–S) case..

Parts Used:

1. Test Beam: Aluminum/steel/MS strip with known dimensions (length $L$, width $b$, thickness $h$)
2. Supports (S–S): Knife-edge/roller blocks or V-groove rests at both ends
3. Excitation: Mini shaker + function generator + power amplifier (or impact hammer / vibration motor)
4. Sensor: Accelerometer (ADXL335/MPU-6050/IEPE sensor) with mounting wax or clamp
5. DAQ/Controller: Arduino/ESP32 + ADC (for hobby setup) or USB DAQ (NI/Red Pitaya)
6. Display/Software: Laptop with MATLAB/Python (NumPy/Scipy/Matplotlib) or LabVIEW for FFT & curve fitting
7. Ancillary: Cables, adhesive/reflective tape (if using laser vibrometer), ruler/calipers, small masses (for parametric tests), safety glasses