Multi-tone Switching Shunt Control by a PZT Network Embedded into a Fiberglass Panel: Design, Manufacture, and Test

Research in noise and vibration control has partially focused on semi-active attenuation techniques such as switching shunt control (SSC) systems. Among the various methods, SSC architectures exhibit several interesting advantages such as low power absorption and intrinsic adaptive capabilities. This approach may represent an acceptable compromise between passive and active solutions. In previous work the authors implemented and validated 1D and 2D numerical models, addressed to describe continuous simple isotropic structures under tonal excitations controlled by single-element SSC system. Further efforts were then directed to extend the applicability of those models to non-isotropic structures and to multi-tone control devices. In this article, a 6-PZT network multi-tone SSC system is presented, and embedded into a balanced fiberglass laminate. The network geometry is defined according to an optimization process following modal information. The former 1-channel control circuit was extended to drive up to four independent channels. The complete system dynamics was simulated by assembling the structural matrices into a Matlab code, where both the electromechanical coupling and the control circuit behavior were taken into account. The structure was excited by broadband sweep signals in a selected range. Numerical and experimental results were compared and discussed.