Intelligent active damping for vibration control

工程结构在地面或空间环境中的振动通常是不受欢迎的，因为它们破坏了结构的性能并可能导致结构破坏。抑制结构振动的传统方法是在结构上覆盖具有耗散能量能力的聚合物（橡胶材料）。在20世纪50年代后期，当聚合物被夹在结构和另一层称为约束层的材料之间时，振动抑制程度得到了进一步的改善。这些技术的工作方式通常分别被称为被动减振（PD）和被动约束层减振（PCLD）。PD和PCLD的主要缺点是它们不能改变或适应不同的操作条件。一个可能的解决方案，是积极的研究兴趣是使约束层，在PCLD的情况下，材料既具有传感和驱动能力。压电材料就是其中的一种材料，它们将被应用于本文的研究中。这种阻尼技术被归类为智能主动约束层振动阻尼（ACLD），因为这种材料可以实现驱动和传感。ACLD过程的复杂性支持了实验和计算机模拟研究的需要。所申请的发现补助金将用于解决后者，而前者是长期研究工作的一个组成部分。在申请发现拨款期间，重点将放在改进这些主动阻尼系统的建模方法上，以有效地捕捉阻尼过程。一个好的模型可以更好地理解系统动力学，从而可以用来设计高效、有效和鲁棒的控制方案。这项技术可以很容易地应用于航空航天、电子、医疗服务、土木工程结构、体育用品、汽车和海洋应用等行业。

Vibrations in engineering structures in either a terrestrial or a space environment are generally undesirable because they undermine the performance of the structure and could result in structural failure. The traditional method of suppressing structural vibrations is by overlaying the structure with a polymer (rubbery material) that has the ability to dissipate energy. Further improvements in the degree of vibration suppression occurred in the late 1950s when the polymer was sandwiched between the structure and another layer of material called the constraining layer. The means by which these techniques work are generally referred to as passive vibration damping (PD) and passive constrained layer vibration damping (PCLD), respectively.The major disadvantages of PD and PCLD are their inability to change or adapt to different operating conditions. A possible solution that is of active research interest is to make the constraining layer, in the case of PCLD, from materials that have both sensing and actuating capabilities. Piezoelectric materials are one such type material and they will be used in the proposed research. The damping technique is classified as intelligent active constraining layer vibration damping (ACLD) because of the actuation and sensing that can be achieved with these materials.The complexity of the ACLD process supports the need for both experimental and computer simulation investigations. The requested Discovery Grant will be directed at addressing the latter, while the former is a component of the long-term research effort. Over the duration of the requested Discovery Grant, attention will be focused on improving the means of modelling these active damping systems to effectively capture the damping process. A good model will yield a better understanding of the system dynamics, which can be used to design efficient, effective and robust control schemes.This technology can be readily applied in industries such as aerospace, electronics, medical services, civil engineering structures, sporting-goods, automobile and marine applications.