SHOCK VIBRATION CONTROL USING "SMART" DAMPING DEVICES

Abstract

Both passive and active shock isolation systems have been previously investigated. However, passive systems are limited in that they cannot adapt to different load conditions; active systems are not practical in many applications, as they may require large power supplies. Another solution to the problem is to implement a "smart" damping system, which typically requires little power, is controllable in real-time, and achieves nearly the same performance as an active system. This paper focuses on shock isolation using these "smart" damping devices. Following the basic problem formulation, the optimal design of passive and active shock isolators is given. These results are then extended to the "smart" (semi-active) shock isolation case. Theoretical analysis shows that if the linear spring stiffness is properly chosen and the control force is appropriately regulated, the shock isolator using "smart" damping can achieve optimal performance and has a better robustness than the passive shock isolator.