Usefulness of Impact Dampers for Space Applications

摘要

The usefulness of the impact damper in eliminating vibrations is studied analytically and experimentally. Laboratory models of vibrating systems are constructed to evaluate the performance of the impact damper in reducing or eliminating forced and free vibrations. A computer simulation of a single degree-of-freedom primary system in free vibration employing an impact damper is constructed for the same purpose. Laboratory free vibration results are compared to the computer simulation in order to judge its accuracy. The computer simulation is employed to determine the impact damper's performance in free vibration as the system's parameters are varied. Two significant measures of the damper's effectiveness are obtained as approximate functions of the system's parameters. Observations regarding reduction in amplitude and steady state motion were made for the impact damper in forced vibration. (Author)