Vibration control using an adaptive tuned vibration absorber with a variable stiffness element

An adaptive tuned vibration absorber (ATVA) with a variable stiffness element is capable of retuning itself in response to a time-varying excitation frequency, enabling effective vibration control over a range of frequencies. One way of adjusting the stiffness is by shape change, and this paper presents the design for an ATVA that exploits this principle. The stiffness element is formed from parallel curved beams whose curvature can be adjusted and hence the stiffness can be changed in real time. The performance of a prototype ATVA with piezo-actuated curved beams is analysed and good correlation is achieved between theoretical and experimental results. The device is shown to be tunable over the frequency range 36–56 Hz, with the maximum tuned frequency being limited by inertia effects of the curved beams. The tests demonstrate the efficacy of this design in vibration control, particularly with respect to its agility in tracking rapidly varying forcing frequencies