Abstract:

Dampers incorporating electrorheological or magnetorheological fluid (whose damping parameters can be adjusted by altering an imposed electric or magnetic field, respectively) as part of their structure hold great promise as adaptive-passive vibration reduction devices. Extant models of electrorheological dampers are insufficient, because of excessive complexity or the lack of broad experimental validation, to allow the prediction of the response of the damper over a wide range of operating conditions. The subject work proposes a new, simple lumped parameter model for electrorheological dampers, validates the new model against empirical data, and explores the application of an electrorheological damper in a tuned dynamic vibration absorber. The vibration absorption capacity of an electro- or magnetorheological damper in a dynamic vibration absorber is found to depend on the displacement amplitude and frequency of the vibration, but a substantial reduction in vibration is achievable with only adaptive-passive control. [Work supported by U.S. Army Research Office.]