Optimal Nonlocal and Asymmetric Structural Damping Using Regenerative Force Actuation Networks

A regenerative force actuation (RFA) network consists of multiple electromechanical forcing devices distributed throughout a structural system and actuated in such a way as to reduce the response of the structure when it is subjected to an excitation. The associated electronics of the devices are connected together such that they are capable of sharing electrical power with each other. This makes it possible for some devices to extract mechanical energy from the structure while others reinject a portion of that energy back into the structure at other locations. The forcing capability of an RFA network is constrained by the requirement that the total network must always dissipate energy. As such, it differs from fully active control devices in that its operation requires only a small amount of external power. Furthermore, its power-sharing capability gives it a forcing versatility beyond that attainable with semiactive and traditional passive damping systems. In this paper, RFA networks are analyzed in the context of their ability to apply supplemental linear structural damping, taking into account dissipation due to electrical resistances and viscous damping associated with the actuators. It is shown that these systems can be used to produce nonlocal damping (i.e., damping forces between distant degrees of freedom) and asymmetric damping matrices. By comparison, semiactive and passive devices can only impose local damping forces. The more generalized linear damping capabilities of RFA networks are shown to yield significant improvements in linear-quadratic optimal performance in stationary response. Examples are given in which a RFA network is used in various configurations to reduce the stationary response of the three-story shear structure to stochastic base excitation.