Vibration Absorbers/Neutralisers

Professor Mike Brennan

 Vibration absorbers/neutralisers

k c Vibration absorber/neutraliser

• What does it do?

• Absorber or neutraliser
• Mobility approach – effectiveness of the device
• Applications
Vibration absorbers/neutralisers
The Vibration Absorber – What does it do?

m
X
F
k c

x  Xe jt

f  Fe jt
structure
frequency
Tunable vibration absorbers - some terminology

Natural frequency
X • Absorber: Tuned to suppress the
F response at a
troublesome resonance
frequency

frequency

X
• Neutraliser: Tuned to suppress the
F response at a
troublesome forcing
frequency

frequency
Forcing frequency
 General framework

F1 1
Vibrating system 3 A
Auxiliary
system
2 F2 FA

Question: k
What effect does the auxiliary system
m
have on the velocity of the vibrating
system at points (2) and (3)? c

The equations describing the system are

V1  Y11 Y12 Y13   F1 

V   Y Y Y  F  VA  YAFA
 2   21 22 23   2 

V3  Y31 Y32 Y33  F3 

 General framework

F1 1
Vibrating system 3 A
Auxiliary
system
2 F2 FA

The boundary conditions are

F3  0 (no force applied)
F2  FA (force equilibrium)
V2  VA (continuity of motion)

V3 Y Y V2 Y21
which results in  Y31  21 32 
F1 Y22  YA F1 1  Y22
YA
Notes
• Even if YA = 0, i.e., the impedance is infinite, then V3 ≠ 0.
• If YA → 0, then V2 → 0.
 Place auxiliary system at source
F1 1
Vibrating system 3

Auxiliary
system A

point 1 ≡ point 2

Replace Y21 with Y11 V3 Y31

Y22 with Y11 which results in 
F1 1  Y11
Y32 with Y31 YA

• Thus if YA → 0, then V3 → 0.
Notes
• The whole system can only be brought to rest if the auxiliary system is
fitted at the point of excitation.
• If the auxiliary system is fitted at a remote point the only this point can
be brought to rest
Vibration absorber/Tuned mass damper
 Vibration absorber/Tuned mass damper
• Tuned to a troublesome resonance of a structure

ma
absorber
ka ca absorber Za Zs structure
X s e j t
Fe jt m Vs e jt
mode of
k structure
Fe jt

Vs 1
• Mobility of structure with absorber attached is 
F Za  Zs
 Vibration absorber/Tuned mass damper
• The impedance of the
structure is given by
k
Zs   jm
absorber Za Zs structure j

Vs e jt • The impedance of the

absorber is given by
Fe jt
1
Za 
1 1
Vs 1 
 ka
 ca j ma
F Za  Zs j
Tuned vibration absorber

X
F

frequency
 Typical response of an undsamped 2DOF
system
4

ma Xa 2

displacement ratio
1

ka 0

-1
F m Xs
-2

k -3

-4

-5

-6
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
ma 
  0.3 frequency ratio
m n
 Vibration absorber - notes
ka k
• Tuned condition for an undamped absorber is 
ma m
m
• Important parameters are mass ratio   a and damping in the absorber
m
• Mass ratio
20 1.6

18 1.5
amplitude ratio

16 1.4
  0.2
14
r 1.3
  0.05
n
12 1.2

10 1.1

8 1

6 0.9

4 0.8

2 0.7

0 0.6
0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8

frequency ratio  n mass ratio

 The vibration absorber effect of damping
20

18 Original
Absorber
ma structure
X 16
attached
14 no damping
ca F
ka 12
Absorber
10
F m X attached
with
8 damping
k c 6

0
0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4


Frequency ratio
n
 The absorber – some key parameters
20

18   •To ensure the amplitudes at

16
 0 points A and B are the same,
the absorber should be tuned to
14
X a 1
12 
F
10
n 1  
8    opt i.e., always lower than the
6
A B troublesome resonance
4
frequency

2
•The optimum damping is
0
0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 given by

Frequency ratio 3 
n  opt 
8 1   3
 The absorber – example

X
ma F
ka ca

F m X

k c
frequency

m 3 
Mass ratio   a  0.1 Optimum Damping opt   0.17
m 8 1    3
Types of absorber/tuned mass damper

(a) Tension-compression (b) Shear

(c) Bending
Some Applications for the Absorber
Some Applications for the Absorber
Some Applications for the Absorber
Some Applications for the Absorber
Some Applications for the Absorber
The Millenium Bridge in London
Some applications for the absorber
The millenium bridge in London
Some applications for the absorber
The Millenium Bridge in London
Some applications for the absorber
The Millenium Bridge in London

•52 vibration absorbers

•2 Tonnes each
Stockbridge Damper
Different Manifestations of
vibration absorbers
Tuned Liquid Column Absorber
B

g
H n 
B  2H
Shunted Piezoelectric Absorber

1
n 
LC
The Smart Ski (ACX.com)
The Smart Ski (ACX.com)

Piezo patches
The Smart Bat (ACX.com)
Fundamental bending mode (215 Hz)

Second bending mode (670 Hz)

Third bending mode (1252 Hz)

The Smart Bat (ACX.com)
 Tuned vibration neutralisers

X
F

frequency

Forcing frequency

• Neutraliser: Tuned to suppress the response at a troublesome

forcing frequency
 Tuned vibration neutralisers
• Vibration of structure with
neutraliser fitted
Vs fitted 1
neutraliser Zn Zs structure  (1)
F Z n  Zs
• Vibration of structure alone
Vs e jt
Vs free  1 (2)

Fe jt F Zs
• Divide (1) by (2) gives

Vs fitted 1

Vs free  Z
1 n
Zs

Thus if Zn  Zs then Vs (fitted)  Vs (free)

 Impedance of a neutraliser
• If the neutraliser is tuned
mn such that
  n
kn cn and assuming that   1 gives
V
n mn
Zn (max) 
2
F
1 The the maximum impedance
Ztotal  of a neutraliser
 1   1 
Z Z Z  • increases with frequency
 m  k c 
• increases with mass
•
jmn 1  j 2  n 
decreases with damping
Ztotal  • is real and hence damping-like
1   n   j 2  n
2

natural frequency of neutraliser

Simple example – mass-like structure

Mass-like behaviour of host structure

X
F

frequency

Forcing frequency
 Simple example – mass-like neutraliser

mn
Vs ( fitted)
kn cn
Vs Vs ( free)
F m
100
• Impedance of structure 
given by
2
Zs  jm

• Assuming that Zn (max)  Zs

then n frequency
Vs fitted Zs 2
  kn mn
Vs free  Zn tuned
 n  , 
tuned mn m
 Motion of neutraliser mass (when tuned)
Velocity of neutraliser mass Vn
 T
Velocity of structure Vs (fitted)

mn Vn 1  j 2  n
where T 
1   n   j 2  n
2

kn cn
Vs When the device is tuned, i.e.,   n
F m Vn 1
 (1)
Vs (fitted) tuned
2

Vs fitted 2
Now  (2)
Vs free  
tuned

i.e., the mass ratio controls the

Vn 1
Dividing (1) by (2) gives  motion of the neutraliser mass
Vs free   at its tuned frquency
tuned
 Bandwidth of a neutraliser

mn
Vs ( fitted)
kn cn Vs ( free)
Vs
F m
100

kn
• The bandwidth is defined as 3 dB n 
mn
2  1
B  2
n
frequency
• This means that a small ζ gives
a large attenuation, but a small
bandwidth
1 n 2
Application of neutraliser - Boeing CH - 47C

Three neutralisers are

installed and tuned to
the blade passage
frequency of
approximately 11 Hz
 Summary
• Vibration absorbers/tuned mass dampers
– Used to suppress vibration at troublesome resonance
frequencies
• Vibration neutralisers
– Used to suppress vibration at a forcing frequency
• Optimum parameters
• Applications
 References
• C.M. Harris, 1987, Shock and Vibration Handbook, Third
Edition, McGraw Hill.

• R.G. White and J.G. Walker, 1982, Noise and Vibration, Ellis
Horwood Publishers.

• J.P. Den Hartog, 1956. Mechanical Vibrations, Second Edition.

Dover Publications

• S.S. Rao, 2003, Mechanical Vibrations, Fourth Edition, Prentice

Hall.