Active Vibration Control of a Small-Scale Flexible Structure Subject to Moving-Loads and Experimental Validation

This study directly addresses the problem of optimal control of a structure under the action of moving masses. The main objective is to experimentally implement and validate an active control solution for a small-scale test stand. The supporting structure is modeled as an Euler–Bernoulli simply supported beam, acted upon by moving masses of different weights and velocities. The experimental implementation of the active controller poses a particular set of challenges as compared with the numerical solutions. It is shown both numerically and experimentally that using electromagnetic actuation, a reduced order controller designed using a time-varying algorithm provides a reduction of the maximum deflection of up to 18% as compared with the uncontrolled structure. The controller performance and robustness were tested against a representative set of possible moving load parameters. In consequence of the variations in moving mass weight and speed, the controller gain requires a supplementary adaptation. A simple algorithm that schedules the gain as a function of the weight and speed of the moving mass can achieve both a good performance and an adjustment of the control effort to the specific design requirements.