Optimum tuning of series and parallel LR circuits for passive vibration suppression using piezoelectric elements

Bending vibration of flexible structures can be suppressed passively using piezoelectric electromechanical transducers and optimally tuned LR circuits. Since these systems include both mechanical and electrical elements, the governing equations consist of electrically coupled equations of motion. This paper describes a new method for deriving the governing equations that describe a system's vibration suppression based on the equilibrium of force principle and using an equivalent mechanical model of a piezoelectric element. Both series and parallel LR circuits are considered in the modeling approach. The optimum values for a mechanical vibration absorber can be formulated by using the two fixed points method. However, exact optimal values for the resistances of the LR circuits have not been formulated in the research literature thus far, and approximate values have been used. Analytical formulations are derived in this paper, and optimum values of the LR circuits are presented, not only in displacement, but also in terms of velocity and acceleration. The effects of the stiffness of the adhesive bond between the host structure and piezoelectric element, the dielectric loss in a piezoelectric element, and the internal resistance of an inductor are considered in the theoretical analysis. The effectiveness of the described analytical method is validated through simulations and experiments. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.