Analytical and experimental studies of impact dampers

Abstract

A study is made of the general behavior of a single particle impact damper, with the main emphasis on symmetric 2 impacts/cycle motion. The exact solution for this case is derived analytically and its asymptotically stable regions are determined. The stability analysis defines the zones where the modulus of all the eigenvalues of a certain matrix relating conditions after each of two consecutive impacts is less than unity. Results of the analysis are supplemented and verified by experimental studies with a mechanical model and an analog computer. Additional numerical investigations are made with a digital computer. It is found that, under practically realizable conditions, impact damping is effective in reducing the vibration amplitude levels resulting from sinusoidal, random, or impulse-like excitation.

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