ACTIVE CONTROL OF FLEXIBLE STRUCTURES USING PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS IN THE TIME DOMAIN

Principal component analysis is used to simplify the extraction of the natural frequencies and their corresponding orthonormal mode shapes directly from experimental data of unknown flexible structures. A control law is designed using a state-space modal model and is tested on different structures. The results are extremely encouraging and demonstrate successful implementation of the active control strategies. The controller actuator as well as the detection sensor locations are examined throughout the structure length.