Semi-active

implementation
of nonlinear damping for
vibration isolation
By

Diala Uchenna

Outline
Introduction.
Aims and Objectives.
Elements of a vibration isolation system.
Vibration isolation system with a linear
damping characteristic .
Vibration isolation system with a Nonlinear
damping characteristic.
Nonlinear (cubic) damping characteristic
implementation with Magnetorheological
damper (MR damper).
Results.
Conclusion and Recommendation.

Introduction
Vibration

isolation deals with the control of

unwanted vibrations to keep the adverse effects within
acceptable limits (Z.Q. Lang et al., 2009).
Transmissibility is:
a measure of the response of a vibration isolation system.
also a measure its performance.

Viscous damping is incorporated to reduce vibration

amplitude at resonance.
However, if the effect of the viscous damper is linear, as

the damping level is increased to minimise the

transmissibility in the resonant region, the transmissibility
is increased in regions where isolation is desired.

Active

vibration isolation system have been

developed to resolve this problem but with limitations
of cost and complexity.

Aims and Objectives

To study the effects of nonlinear viscous damping

on a vibration isolation system.

To demonstrate its implementation using semiactive techniques with an MR damper.
Nonlinear viscous damping measure is proposed

here using semi-active means to resolve the issue

with active devices.

To design a controller to track the desired

nonlinear viscous damping force.

Elements of a vibration isolation

system

Vibration isolation system normally consists of

a spring that offers stiffness to the system .
a damping element (dashpot) to disperse input

energy.
Where,
m = Mass of the object
k = Spring stiffness
c = Linear damper
coefficient

Fig.1.0 : A mass-spring-damper
system

Vibration isolation system with a

linear damping characteristic (Open
loop)

The transmissibility is given

as:

= nondimensional excitation
freq ratio

= damping
ratio
Fig.2.0: A mass-spring-damper
system with linear damping

Vibration isolation system with a linear

damping characteristic (Open loop) contd...
Transmissibility curves for freq ratio, r = 0:0.2:2 and damping ratio =
0.1, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.7 are shown in figure 3.0.
75
70

Force transmissibility

65
60

Region
of
desired
isolation

55
50
E0.1__E0
E0.2__E0
E0.4__E0
E0.7__E0

45
40

0.2

0.4

Resonant
region
0.6

0.8

1
1.2
freq ratio

1.4

1.6

1.8

Fig. 3.0: Transmissibility curve for a vibration isolation system with

linear damper

Vibration isolation system with a

nonlinear damping characteristic
(Open loop)
The transmissibility is given
as:

c1 = Linear damper coefficient

c2 = Nonlinear damper coefficient

Fig.4.0: A mass-spring-damper system with nonlinear damping

characteristics

Vibration isolation system with a

nonlinear damping characteristic (Open
Transmissibility curves for freq ratio, r = 0:0.2:2, zeta 1 = 0.1 and zeta 2
loop)
contd...
= 0, 0.2 and 0.4 are shown in figure 5.0.
75
70

Force transmissibility

65
60

Region
of
desired
isolation

55
50
E0.1__E0
E0.1__E0.2
E0.1__E0.4

45
40

0.2

0.4

0.6

Resonant
region
0.8

1
1.2
freq ratio

1.4

1.6

1.8

Fig. 5.0: Transmissibility curve for a vibration isolation system with

nonlinear damper

Vibration isolation system with a

nonlinear damping characteristic
Transmissibility curves for r = 0:0.2:2, zeta 1 = 0.2 and zeta 2 = 0, 0.2
(Open
contd...
and 0.4 are loop)
shown in figure
6.0.
70

Force transmissibility

65

60

Region
of
desired
isolation

55

50

45

40

E0.2__E0
E0.2__E0.2
E0.2__E0.4
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

Resonant
region
0.8

1
1.2
freq ratio

1.4

1.6

1.8

Fig. 6.0: Transmissibility curve for a vibration isolation system with

nonlinear damper

Nonlinear (cubic) damping

characteristic implementation with
MR damper.
Semi-active

vibration isolation is realizable

using mass control, stiffness control or
damping control.

A spring in parallel with an adjustable damper

(core of system) is used for this project.

Some controllable dampers include;
Magnetorheological dampers (MR dampers)
Electrorheological dampers (ER dampers)
Viscoelastic dampers etc.
The MR damper was used in this project work.

Nonlinear damping characteristic

implementation with MR damper

MR damper
comprises a hydraulic cylinder containing
contd..
.
ferromagnetic particles, of micron size, suspended in a fluid
(often oil).
Exposure to electric or magnetic field, via a solenoid embedded
inside, causes the MR material to modify from a free flowing
viscous fluid to a semi-solid state in a few milli-seconds.

Fig.7.0: Schematic of an MR
damper

3000

3000

2000

2000

1000

1000
mr damper force (N)

mr damper Force

Nonlinear damping characteristic

implementation with MR damper
contd...

-1000

1.5 A
1A
0A
0.25A
0.5A
2A

-2000

-3000
-40

-30

-20

-10

0
Velocity (m/s)

10

20

30

-1000

0A
0.25A
0.5A
1A
1.5A
2A

-2000

40

-3000

0.5

1.5

2
2.5
3
Displacement (m)

3.5

Fig.8.0: Simulation results for MR damper force versus (a.)

Velocity (m/s) (b) Displacement (m) plots

4.5

Nonlinear damping characteristic

implementation with MR damper contd...
(Closed loop with Proportional Integral, PI
controller)

Fig.9.0: Schematic of a nonlinear damping characteristic

implemented using the MR damper

Nonlinear damping characteristic

implementation with MR damper contd...

Fig.10: Schematic of a
nonlinear damping
characteristic practically
implemented using the MR

Nonlinear damping characteristic

implementation with MR damper contd...

x1(t)

[dot_x1(t)]^3
u(t)

Nonlinear
cubic damper
force

MR Damper force

Fig.11: SIMULINK model of the vibration isolation system

with nonlinear damping implementation using the MR damper.

Results
Force Transmissibility (Cubic Damper)

20

E3rms = 0

E3rms = 0

E3 = 0
E3rms = 0.2

15

10

E3 = 0.2
E3rms = 0.4

10

E3 = 0.2
E3rms = 0.4

E3 = 0.4
E3rms = 0.7

E3 = 0.4
E3rms = 0.7

Fout/Fin2 (dB)

E3 = 0
E3rms = 0.2

15

Fout/Fin2 (dB)

Force Transmissibility (MR Damper)

20

E3 = 0.7
0

E3 = 0.7
0

-5

-5

-10

-10

-15

10
15
Freq(rad/sec)

20

25

-15

10
15
Freq(rad/sec)

Fig.12: Simulation results for transmissibility plots using

desired Cubic damper model and MR damper model

20

25

Conclusion and recommendations

The results show the beneficial effects of
nonlinear viscous damping.
This implies same effect is achievable as an
active device.
This would have significant implications for the
engineering design of passive vibration isolators
in a wide range of practical applications.
More investigations on the effect of more
complex nonlinear viscous damping
characteristics on vibration isolation could be
carried out to improve on the results achieved in
this study.

Thank
you

Appendices