OPTIMAL DESIGN OF VISCOELASTIC LINKS CONSIDERING TEMPERATURE INFLUENCE IN VIBRATION CONTROL

Resumo

Viscoelastic links can be characterized by the connection of a structure to the ground by a device with a
layer of viscoelastic material. When the structure vibrates, it provokes a relative displacement between the ground
and itself, leading to a deformation on the viscoelastic material. Due to high damping, viscoelastic materials are
used in devices for vibration control, working through dissipation of vibratory energy, and introducing stiffness.
Mechanical properties of viscoelastic materials vary, mainly, according with temperature and vibration frequency.
Changes in environmental conditions, like temperature, can lead to a non-optimal behavior of devices designed
with viscoelastic materials. The GVIBS group, which the authors are part of, has been developing over decades a
methodology for optimal design of passive vibration control devices, including some that use viscoelastic
materials. The goal of this paper is to expand the group methodology to design viscoelastic links, as well as model,
into a graphical interface, the effects of temperature changes on the behavior of viscoelastic links. A Fortran code
is developed to optimize the physical parameters and location of viscoelastic links, while considering the effects
of temperature changes. Experiments are done on a steel plate, with and without viscoelastic link, to validate the
developed methodology.