Vibration characteristics of metastructures with a variable stiffness property

Abstract

In terms of enhanced functionality and economic cost, development of lighter machines and structures is desired. However, reduction in size and weight can potentially result in increased vibration as a trade-off. Therefore, metastructures have recently been attracting attention for their ability to achieve downsizing and lightening while enhancing damping in low-frequency range. Metastructure blocks vibration propagation within a certain frequency range. In this study, we aim to insulate the propagation of vibration waves in arbitrary frequency range by incorporating magnetorheological elastomers as stiffness elements that can alter their own viscoelasticity by applying external magnetic field. In this report, we theoretically show the existence of a band gap in a simplified metastructure and numerically investigate the structure’s vibration characteristics. As the fundamental study, we evaluate the characteristics of a passive metastructure.