Numerical simulations of cantilever beam response with saturation control and full modal coupling

Abstract

Numerical simulations of the response of a uniform, cantilever beam subjected to a base excitation are performed. A saturation absorber is implemented to control the beam response. In previous investigations of similar configurations, the inertial and structural properties of the piezoelectric actuators have been neglected, resulting in an analytical model of a uniform beam. This investigation includes the nonuniformities in the beam properties that are introduced when piezoelectric actuators are bonded to the uniform beam. The resulting coupling between uniform, cantilever beam modes is fully included in the analytical model. It is shown that this modal coupling has a significant effect on the beam response, which is not present when modal coupling is neglected.