An adaptive tuned vibration absorber (ATVA) can retune itself in response to a time-varying excitation frequency, enabling effective vibration attenuation over a range of frequencies. For a wide tuning range the ATVA is best realized through the use of a beam-like structure whose mechanical properties can be adapted through servo-actuation. This is readily achieved either by repositioning the beam supports (‘moveable-supports ATVA’) or by repositioning attached masses (‘moveable-masses ATVA’), with the former design being more commonly used, despite its relative constructional complexity. No research to date has addressed the fact that the effective mass of such devices varies as they are retuned, thereby causing a variation in their attenuation capacity. This article derives both the tuned frequency and effective mass characteristics of such ATVAs through a unified non-dimensional modal-based analysis that enables the designer to quantify the expected performance for any given application. The analysis reveals that the moveable-masses concept offers significantly superior vibration attenuation. Motivated by this analysis, a novel ATVA with actuator-incorporated moveable masses is proposed, which has the additional advantage of constructional simplicity. Experimental results from a demonstrator correlate reasonably well with the theory, and vibration control tests with logic-based feedback control demonstrate the efficacy of the device.
