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In this study, the efficiency of linear and rotational tuned mass dampers (TMD) and lever type vibration isolators (LVI) in improving ride comfort is investigated based on a vehicle quarter-car model. TMDs reduce vibration levels by absorbing the energy of the system, especially at their natural frequencies. Both types of TMDs are investigated in the first part of this study. Although linear TMDs can be implemented more easily on suspension systems, rotational TMDs show better performance in reducing vibration levels / since, the inertia effect of rotational TMDs is higher than the linear TMDs. In order to obtain better results with TMDs, configurations with chain of linear TMDs are obtained in the second part of the study without changing the original suspension stiffness and damping coefficient. In addition to these, the effect of increasing the number of TMDs used in the chain configuration is investigated. Results show that performance deterioration at lower frequencies than wheel hop is reduced by using chain of TMDs. In the third part of this study, various configurations of LVIs with different masses are considered and significant attenuation of vibration amplitudes at both body bounce and wheel hop frequencies is achieved. Results show that TMDs improve ride comfort around wheel hop frequency while LVIs are quite efficient around body bounce frequency. Finally, parameter uncertainty due to aging of components and manufacturing defects are investigated.

Spacecrafts are generally equipped with high precision optical and other sensor payloads. The structures of most of the spacecrafts are light-weight, flexible and have low damping. Vibrations are often induced in the spacecraft body due to the presence of many disturbance sources such as momentum/reaction wheels, control thrusters used for attitude control and cryocoolers etc. Low damping leads to long decay time for vibrations hence during this period the spacecraft sensors cannot be used effectively. One possible solution is to isolate the precision sensor from the rest of the satellite and this strategy has been used for spaceborne telescopes and interferometers that have extremely precise positional and vibratory tolerances imposed on them in order to achieve scientific goals. Another strategy is to isolate the vibration source itself from the spacecraft body. This thesis deals with modelling, analysis and experimentation of a novel low frequency flexible space platform designed to serve as a mount for the disturbance source in order to insulate the source generated vibrations reaching critical areas of the structure. The novel space platform consisting of folded continuous beams, is light-weight and is capable of isolating vibration generated by sources such as reaction/momentum wheels. Finite element analysis of the platform is carried out for static and dynamic load cases. Simulation studies are carried out on flexible beam platform in order to firm up the design for passive vibration isolation. Modal analyses is done to simulate the response of each mode. Active control has been studied by embedding the platform’s beam elements with piezo actuators and sensors. The simulation results show that the space platform can effectively attenuate vibration and further improvement in vibration attenuation is possible with active control. Based on the analysis, a prototype low frequency platform has been designed and fabricated. An experimental validation has been done to test the usefulness of the low frequency platform to act as a mount for reaction wheels and to mitigate the vibration disturbances/effects transmitted from the reaction wheel assembly to structure. Measurements and tests have been conducted at varying wheel speeds to quantify and characterize the amount of isolation to the reaction wheel generated vibrations. The time and frequency domain analysis of test data clearly show that level of isolation is significant and an average of 13 dB of isolation is seen. The level of isolation is different for different isolators and it depends upon the isolator design and wheel speed. Forces and moments measured at the base for wheel with isolator and wheel without isolator clearly demonstrate and confirm a reduction in the disturbance levels of atleast one order. These isolators are further tested successfully for launch dynamic loads in order to confirm the design adequacy to sustain such loads. Results indicate that the flexible mounts of the type discussed in this thesis can be used for effective passive vibration isolation in spacecrafts with reaction/momentum wheels.

Researchers have offered a variety of solutions for overcoming the old and challenging problem of undesired vibrations. The optimum vibration-control solution that can be a passive, semi-active or active solution, is chosen based on the desired level of vibration-control, the budget and the nature of the vibration source. Mechanical vibration-control systems, which work based on variable stiffness control, are categorized as semi-active solutions. They are advantageous for applications with multiple excitation frequencies, such as seismic applications. The available mechanical variable stiffness systems that are used for vibration-control, however, are slow and usually big, and their slowness and size have limited their application. A new semi-active variable stiffness solution is introduced and developed in this thesis to address these challenges by providing a faster vibration-control system with a feasible size. The new solution proposed in this thesis is a semi-active variable stiffness mount/isolator called the antagonistic Variable Stiffness Mount (VSM), which uses a variable stiffness spring called the Antagonistic Variable stiffness Spring (AVS). The AVS is a kinematically singular prestressable mechanism. Its stiffness can be changed by controlling the prestress of the mechanisms links. The AVS provides additional stiffness for a VSM when such stiffness is needed and remains inactive when it is not needed. The damping of the VSM is constant and an additional constant stiffness in the VSM supports the deadweight. Two cable-mechanisms - kinematically singular cable-driven mechanisms and Prism Tensegrities - are developed as AVSs in this thesis. Their optimal configurations are identified and a general formulation for their prestress stiffness is provided by using the notion of infinitesimal mechanism. The feasibility and practicality of the AVS and VSM are demonstrated through a case study of a typical engine mount by simulation of the mathematical models and by extensive experimental analysis. A VSM with an adjustable design, a piezo-actuation mechanism and a simple on-off controller is fabricated and tested for performance evaluation. The performance is measured based on four criteria: (1) how much the VSM controls the displacement near the resonance, (2) how well the VSM isolates the vibration at high frequencies, (3) how well the VSM controls the motion caused by shock, and (4) how fast the VSM reacts to control the vibration. For this evaluation, first the stiffness of the VSM was characterized through static and dynamic tests. Then performance of the VSM was evaluated and compared with an equivalent passive mount in two main areas of transmissibility and shock absorption. The response time of the VSM is also measured in a realistic scenario.

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