Modeling and experimental validation of a multiple-mass-particle impact damper for controlling stay-cable oscillations

Impact dampers are often used in the field of civil, mechanical, and aerospace engineering for reducing structural vibrations. This research is motivated by a practical problem, that is, the reduction of wind-induced and rain-wind-induced vibrations in long, flexible and low-damping stay-cables. A new concept of distributed-mass impact damper has been proposed, designed, fabricated, and tested experimentally at Vienna University of Technology by using a 31.2-m actual stay. The results of the full-scale experiments (free-decay tests) are illustrated in this study. Because the performance of the new device was very promising, with total damping ratio three to 10 times larger than the original damping in the stay, modeling of the damper device was needed to ensure adequate practical application in the future. This study examines three different reduced-order models, derived in an attempt to characterize the complex behavior of the new device. Verification and validation of the models are carried out by comparison with the experimental results. Finally, selection of an adequate model, based on both experiments and simulations, is described and discussed. Copyright (C) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.