Laboratory experimental testing of inerters

Abstract

This paper presents experimental results from the testing of mechanical networks involving inerter devices. The tests are carried out using a hydraulic ram actuator whose displacement is controlled in a closed-loop system. A methodology is proposed for the testing of inerter devices which amounts to the design of a buffer network to be connected in series with the inerter device during testing. This avoids instability and nonlinear phenomena which are otherwise observed with the testing of inertial loads using this type of hydraulic actuator. It is shown that the admittance of the inerter devices approaches the ideal inerter admittance over a useful frequency range.

Optimal design of a novel tuned mass-damper–inerter (TMDI) passive vibration control configuration for stochastically support-excited structural systems

“…In theory, the "ideal" inerter is a linear device with two terminals free to move independently which develops an internal (resisting) force proportional to the relative acceleration of its terminals. Employing rack and pinion gearing arrangements to drive a rotating flywheel, certain inerter/TTF prototypes have been physically built [26][27][28]. In fact, inerter/TTF devices are currently used for vibration control of suspension systems in high performance vehicles [29][30].…”

Modeling, Testing, and Characteristic Analysis of a Planetary Flywheel Inerter

“…In general, the change of model output with frequency was consistent with that of the experiment data, which proves the model's validity of being used in the investigation and design work on mechanical network. Literature [18] gives the response of the ball screw inerter and the rack-pinion inerter with traditional flywheel. When excited at a frequency of 0.1 Hz, the output force of the rackpinion inerter is a triangular wave with large fluctuating, and the output force of the ball screw inerter is similar to a square wave.…”

“…The ball screw has become the structural basis of many new types of inerters. Papageorgiou and Smith established a dynamical model of a ball screw inerter with backslash and nonlinear elastic force and analyzed the influence of nonlinear factors on the dynamical characteristics of the inerter [18]. Hu et al built a semiactive inerter by adding an electrically adjusted centrifugal block to a ball screw inerter, which provided a method of changing the inertance dynamically [19].…”

Analysis of vibration transfer characteristics of vehicle suspension system employing inerter

“…The earliest types of inerters are rack-and-pinion and ball-screw inerters (Papageorgiou and Smith, 2005). Experiments were also carried out to verify the effectiveness of mechanical inerters.…”