Optimization of Vibration Absorbers: Iterative Methods for use on Systems with Experimentally Determined Characteristics

Abstract

Methods are presented for the optimization of the design of an absorber, incorporating combined spring and damper elements of polymeric material, and coupled to a complex main system. These methods, which involve rapidly convergent iterative procedures, utilize directly the experimentally measured characteristics of both the absorber element material and the main system.

Butyl rubber is found to be a convenient and effective absorber element material, reducing the response of a model complex main system, with damping of a level typical of engineering structures, by a factor of approximately four.