Optimal Energy Input on ER/MR Damper for Passive Control of Inclined Cable Vibration

This paper studied the vibration mitigation of an inclined stay cable, while the electro/magneto-rheological (ER/MR) damper worked as an passive damper in case of adverse circumstances. The vibration tests of damper and cable were firstly conducted to establish a nonlinear mechanical model, using the model identification technology. By imposing random narrow-band excitation to the cable at a point near the upper anchorage, the cable vibration control test was experimentally studied, which indicates the existence of optimal energy input on the damper for cable vibration mitigation. The numerical results obtained from the nonlinear dynamic mathematical model, agree well with the experimental results. The extensive numerical study on the influence of the various excitation levers and different installations of damper to the optimal energy input was conducted, which provides many critical points on the cable vibration control while ER/MR damper works as a passive damper. The theoretical and experimental results are benefit for the design of ER/MR damper, and the open-loop semi-active control of cable vibration.