An Active Vibration Tuning Methodology for Smart Flexible Structures Incorporating Electro-Rheological Fluids: A Proof-of-Concept Investigation

This paper proposes an active vibration tuning methodology for smart flexible structures incorporating electro-rheological fluids. These fluids undergo a pseudo phase-change when subjected to an applied electrical potential and this versatile phenomenon permits the global stiffness and damping properties of the smart structure to be tailored in order to synthesize the desired elastodynamic response. And the coupling of this capability with sensors and microprocessors provides the essential ingredients for a new class of intelligent materials. A combined theoretical and experimental proof-of-concept investigation on this class of materials is presented by examining the elastodynamic response of cantilevered beam specimens.