Abstract
Smart material systems, such as piezoelectric actuators and sensors, are pivotal in vibration control due to their dynamic responsiveness and energy efficiency. In active vibration control (AVC), the optimal placement of piezoelectric patches is crucial for enhancing control efficiency, stability, and multimode vibration suppression. This article introduces a simplified methodology for identifying the optimal placement of piezoelectric patches on plate-type structures to manage multiple vibration modes. The approach utilizes displacement eigenfunctions to map the strain profile's maxima across the plate's length and width. A genetic algorithm (GA) is used to pinpoint the x and y coordinates corresponding to these maximum strain areas, representing the ideal patch placement positions. The study examines five boundary conditions: simply supported, clamped, and free edges. The secondary analysis validates the selected locations by considering controllability and observability. This method efficiently explores the design space, converging on locations that produce the highest strain, thereby improving vibration control. The proposed methodology strategically places the piezoelectric patches, as the results show. In most cases, these positions align closely with the optimal patch locations identified by other established methods. The results confirm the validity of the proposed approach. This research offers a reliable and computationally efficient solution for optimizing active vibration control in smart structures.
