A New Cluster-Based Harmonic Balance Aided Optimization Procedure With Application to Nonlinear Vibration Absorbers

Abstract

This work presents a new strategy in design optimization of nonlinear vibration absorbers with continuous and discontinuous motions. A cluster-based harmonic balance aided optimization technique using force balance or energy balance as the basis is generalized and adapted for nonlinear systems. It is found that optimal design parameters form a cluster in the parameter space and points from the parameter space inside the cluster satisfies design considerations. One of the main disadvantages of using existing optimization methods in nonlinear systems is that the parameter regimes, which provide periodic solutions, are not known beforehand, so one has to first do bifurcation studies to arrive at periodic regimes and optimization has to be conducted in the range. Proposed method combines these two steps as it converges to periodic clusters alone. Since the method admits only periodic solutions, occurrence of conditions such as chaos and quasi periodicity can be eliminated from the dynamics of the system. The proposed method can also be used to find the optimal parameters of both linear and nonlinear dynamical systems.