A Resonant Beam Damper with embedded 'Acoustic Black Hole' features for broadband resonant peak suppressions

A 'Resonant Beam Damper' (RBD) is a particular type of continuous dynamic vibration absorbers (DVA), which can be tuned for neutralizing vibratory energy through its interaction with the host structure. In this study, we propose a RBD configuration with embedded 'Acoustic Black Hole' (ABH) features to construct a so-called 'ABH-RBD' for the suppression of the forced vibration response of a host structure, exemplified by a beam structure. The ABH effect, originated from the combination of a beam with a power-law tailored thickness and a coated damping layer, has been shown to provide enhanced system damping through its unique energy focalization and dissipation capability, conducive to controlling flexural vibrations in thin-walled structures. To assess the control performance of the proposed ABH-RBD, finite element analyses are performed. Results show that, with a relatively simple and easily-achievable design, the proposed ABH-RBD performs as a highly-efficient, broad-band and light-weighted vibration control device to cope with various vibration scenarios. This is attributed to the highly dynamic character of the ABH taper and enhanced structural damping, both brought up by the ABH effect. Investigations are also conducted to explain the control mechanism as well as the broadband energy sinking phenomenon from the host structure.