Optimal Design Strategy of Connected Control Method for Two Dynamically Similar Structures

Structural control of adjacent flexible structures has been shown to be effectively accomplished using the connected control method (CCM), which uses an auxiliary structure to provide a reaction force. A perceived constraint of the CCM is the ineffective control of structures with similar dynamics. However, the writers have presented a modified CCM mechanism in which dampers are connected between dynamically similar structures with a difference in connection height using cantilever structures. The research described in this paper extends the CCM to couple two dynamically similar structures and determines optimal stiffness and damping in the connector link. A two-degree-of-freedom building model is developed for the optimal design of the connected control devices. The optimal solutions of the connector stiffness and damping take into account the presence of fixed points in the systems transfer functions. Analytical results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method and design. Experimental tests then verify the response reduction capabilities of the proposed optimal design.