Active Wave Control of a Flexible Beam : Proposition of the Active Sink Method

Abstract

This paper deals with the flexural wave control of a flexible beam with an infinite number of vibration modes. It is the purpose of this paper to present a new vibration control method, the active sink method, which makes it possible to suppress all vibration modes of the flexible beam. Unlike a conventional vibration control method which attempts to suppress several vibration modes already excited, the active sink method seeks to keep all the vibration modes inactive. First, this paper presents the principle of the active sink method and shows a means of realizing its system. Next, in order to describe the principle of the active sink method mathematically, transfer matrices of a beam using a progressive wave solution to the wave equation are obtained. Then, the optimal conditions for the active sink system are derived, and the fundamental characteristics of the system are discussed. Finally, from the vdewpoint of vibration intensity analysis, the validity of the active sink method is clarified.