An Experimental Study of the Dynamic Behavior of Cultural Heritage Artifacts

This article examines the dynamic behavior of small-sized heritage artifacts. Small figurines, replicas of ancient ones, were used. The figurines were placed on different bases of support, including a steel plate, a steel plate on which a layer of felt was later added, and an acrylic base. The base of support was found to influence the dynamic response of the object, either reducing or increasing the possibility of overturning, depending on the coefficient of friction between the contacting surfaces. In addition, the frequency content of the excitation signal and its intensity level played an important role. The coefficient of friction between the surfaces had a smaller effect on the dynamic response of the objects at low excitation frequencies. It was also observed that at high excitation levels, a high coefficient of restitution increased the rotation of the objects about their vertical axis.