Vortex-induced vibration attenuation on tubular monopole telecommunications towers using a nonlinear absorber

We investigate the nonlinear passive control of vortex-induced vibrations of tubular telecommunication monopoles. The use of nonlinear energy sinks as an alternative to the commonly used tuned mass dampers for the control of vortex-induced vibrations is explored. The behaviors of the monopole coupled to a purely cubic nonlinear energy sink are analyzed using the complexification averaging method, while the linear dynamics of the system coupled with a tuned mass damper are studied through classical methods. The monopole is modeled as an Euler–Bernoulli beam, and the aerodynamic forces are represented by a simplified model from the literature, allowing the influence of wind speed and vortex shedding frequency to be considered. A design procedure for the nonlinear energy sink is proposed in order to estimate its optimal parameters. The validation of the developed analytical tools is carried out through numerical integration of the governing equations and also via simulations performed using the finite element method. Comparisons show that a nonlinear passive absorber can effectively control vortex-induced vibrations under certain conditions.