Finite element and simple lumped modeling for flexural nonlinear semi-passive damping

This article deals with the synchronized switch damping on inductor (SSDI) technique, a semi-passive approach that was developed to address the problem of structural vibration damping. This technique takes advantage of original nonlinear processing of the voltage generated by piezoelements. This processing is based on simple commutations. It has the advantage of a very low power requirement as well as simple electronic design. It has the advantages of a large bandwidth as well as being a stand-alone system using vibration as a source of energy. This article proposes a new approach to analyzing the energy flow in a structure damped with this particular technique. A predictive simple lumped model is developed starting from a global energetic analysis of the electromechanical structure. This model is determined using physical and geometrical properties of the electromechanical structure and does not require any experimental measurements. It exhibits very good agreement with finite element model (FEM) simulations and is more than 100 times faster. As this model is fully predictive and requires very low computing time, it is a great tool to design piezoelectric vibration control devices.