Engineering topics

Vonflotow, Andreas H.

Publications and source records attributed to Vonflotow, Andreas H..

3 records

NASA NTRS1994

Design of passive piezoelectric damping for space structures

Passive damping of structural dynamics using piezoceramic electromechanical energy conversion and passive electrical networks is a relatively recent concept with little implementation experience base. This report describes an implementation case study, starting from conceptual design and technique selection, through detailed component design and testing to simulation on the structure to be damped. About 0.5kg. of piezoelectric material was employed to damp the ASTREX testbed, a 500kg structure. Emphasis was placed upon designing the damping to enable high bandwidth robust feedback control. Resistive piezoelectric shunting provided the necessary broadband damping. The piezoelectric element was incorporated into a mechanically-tuned vibration absorber in order to concentrate damping into the 30 to 40 Hz frequency modes at the rolloff region of the proposed compensator. A prototype of a steel flex-tensional motion amplification device was built and tested. The effective stiffness and damping of the flex-tensional device was experimentally verified. When six of these effective springs are placed in an orthogonal configuration, strain energy is absorbed from all six degrees of freedom of a 90kg. mass. A NASTRAN finite element model of the testbed was modified to include the six-spring damping system. An analytical model was developed for the spring in order to see how the flex-tensional device and piezoelectric dimensions effect the critical stress and strain energy distribution throughout the component. Simulation of the testbed demonstrated the damping levels achievable in the completed system.

Hagood, Nesbitt W., IV↗

NASA NTRS1993

Stress stiffening and approximate equations in flexible multibody dynamics

A useful model for open chains of flexible bodies undergoing large rigid body motions, but small elastic deformations, is one in which the equations of motion are linearized in the small elastic deformations and deformation rates. For slow rigid body motions, the correctly linearized, or consistent, set of equations can be compared to prematurely linearized, or inconsistent, equations and to 'oversimplified,' or ruthless, equations through the use of open loop dynamic simulations. It has been shown that the inconsistent model should never be used, while the ruthless model should be used whenever possible. The consistent and inconsistent models differ by stress stiffening terms. These are due to zeroth-order stresses effecting virtual work via nonlinear strain-displacement terms. In this paper we examine in detail the nature of these stress stiffening terms and conclude that they are significant only when the associated zeroth-order stresses approach 'buckling' stresses. Finally it is emphasized that when the stress stiffening terms are negligible the ruthlessly linearized equations should be used.

Padilla, Carlos E.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Nonlinear strain-displacement relations and flexible multibody dynamics

Dynamics of chains of flexible bodies undergoing large rigid body motions, but small elastic deflections are considered. The role of nonlinear strain-displacement relations in the development of the motion equations correct to first order in elastic deflections is investigated. The general form of these equations linearized only in the small elastic deflections is presented, and the relative significance of various nonlinear terms is studied both analytically and through the use of the numerical simulations. Numerical simulations are performed for a two link chain constrained to move in the plane, subject to hinge torques. Each link is modeled as a thin beam. Slew maneuver simulation results are compared for models with and without properly modeled kinematics of deformation. The goal of this case study is to quantify the importance of the terms in the equations of motion which arise from the inclusion of nonlinear strain-displacement relations. It is concluded that unless the consistently linearized equations in elastic deflections and speeds are available and necessary, the inconsistently (prematurely) linearized equations should be replaced in all cases by ruthlessly linearized equations: equations in which all nonlinear terms involving the elastic deflections and speeds are ignored.

Padilla, Carlos E.↗