Active Vibration Suppression of Beam Structures Subjected to Moving Loads: A Feasibility Study Using Finite Elements

The active suppression of vibration induced in a beam structure as a concentrated force traverses the span is examined. The dynamic response of the beam structure is simulated by a specialized finite element model capable of handling various boundary conditions, intermediate supports and moving loads. An optimal control methodology is utilized to develop the vibration suppression system. The optimal control action consists of two parts: (1) closed loop type control, which is dependent on the current states; (2) open loop type control, which is independent of current states. Implementation of the approach is discussed and simulations were performed to examine the effects of weighting matrices and required control effort on the achievable level of vibration suppression. The results indicate that the moving load type problem appears to be an excellent candidate for practical implementation of active control technology.