Development of an MRE adaptive tuned vibration absorber with self-sensing capability

In this paper, self-sensing technology was introduced into an adaptive tuned vibration absorber, incorporating a laminated magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) structure, a hybrid magnetic system and a self-sensing component. The adoption of the laminated MRE structure and the hybrid magnetic system enables the absorber to have higher lateral flexibility and a wider effective frequency range. The integration of the self-sensing capability allows the absorber to operate without sensors and, at the same time, greatly reduces costs, required space and maintenance. A series of experiments were conducted to measure the frequency shift property, to verify the self-sensing capability and to evaluate its effectiveness on vibration reduction. The experimental results show that the natural frequency of the proposed absorber can be changed to 4.8 Hz at -3 A and 11.3 Hz at 3 A from 8.5 Hz at 0 A, the frequency of the self-sensed voltage equals the excitation frequency and, more importantly, the vibration control effectiveness of the self-sensing MRE absorber is experimentally verified and it is more effective on vibration reduction than a passive absorber.