<title>Modelling of smart fluid dampers</title>

Abstract

Smart fluid dampers offer an attractive solution to vibration damping problems where there is a need for variable damping behaviour. In recent years there has been a great deal of research effort in developing these dampers, and implementing appropriate control strategies. Consequently a wide range of modelling techniques have been proposed, for both device design and controller design processes. In general, however, the development of modelling and control techniques has proceeded in parallel to the development of laboratory-based devices. Consequently the techniques become well suited to those particular devices, and their performance in a more generic device design process may not be guaranteed. A more thorough method of illustrating the performance of models would be to investigate their performance when based upon different devices. This would help to emphasise the strengths and potential weaknesses of the model when used in a generic device design process. In this paper, the authors will seek to assess the robustness of a modelling technique by assessing its performance when based upon an 'unrelated' damper design from a different research group.