Optimal Dynamic Absorbers for Plate Vibration Control

Abstract

Modern optimal control theory is used to design passive dynamic absorbers to minimize the transient vibrations of thin plates. In addition to spring and damping constants, the absorber locations on the plate are optimized. If dynamic plate loads excite certain modes of vibration, the technique can be used to select parameters such that damping of these modes will be emphasized. The numerical example used to discuss the characteristics of the optimal designs concerns a uniform rectangular plate which is simply supported at its edges, but the technique applies in all cases where the vibration can be expressed as a sum of terms in orthogonal modes of vibration.