Closed-loop finite element modeling of smart structures: an overview (Invited Paper)

Smart structures incorporate sensors, actuators, and control electronics that permit the structure to tailor its response to changes in the environment in an optimal fashion. The sensors and actuators are constructed using functional materials such as piezoelectric materials. Finite‐element modeling has been successfully used to model these complex structures. More recently, closed‐loop numerical simulation of the tailored response of a smart structure has become possible by combining the finite‐element equations of the sensor response to applied dynamical loads to the input voltage or current to the actuators via a control algorithm. Optimization of sensor/actuator placement as well as optimization of the control gains will be discussed. Applications to control of cabin noise are studied. Constrained layer damping, incorporating active passive damping, can also be simulated. The talk will present an overview of the approach in relation to others in the extant literature.