This research project deals with modeling, analysis, design and experimental verification of a novel tuned distributed vibration damper (TDVD) for intelligent vibration control of structures. Recent advances is smart materials make it possible to adjust the parameters of dampers and absorbers on-line, and thus dramatically broaden the utility of dampers and absorbers in industrial applications. Although much progress has been made, dampers with spatially distributed inertia have been overlooked. Many dampers and absorbers have a characteristic lumped mass, which limits their operation to relatively narrow frequency bands. Since the structure to be controlled may have a wide frequency spectrum, it is desirable to have wide-band dampers with relatively simple configuration and realizable control algorithms. The TDVD is unique in that an elastic bar is introduced in its configuration. The distributed inertia of the bar enables the new damper to provide wide-band augmentation, leading to vibration reduction by up to several orders of magnitude, compared to conventional dampers. The major objectives of this research are to understand the damping amplifying mechanism of the TDVD; to investigate TDVD-structure interactions; to develop TDVD- based vibration control algorithms; and to experimentally justify the feasibility of the TDVD in real engineering problems.
