Modeling and Control of an Electrorheological Sandwich Beam

This paper introduces models for electrorheological (ER) structures based on visco-elasticity and sandwich beam theory. The partial differential equations describing the dynamics of an ER sandwich beam are derived and a modal analysis is performed. Feedback controllers, derived using Lyapunov theory, ensure stability of all modes of the beam. Feedback from an axial velocity sensor to the applied ER beam voltage provides an implementable approximation to the control law. Simulations of a cantilevered ER beam show the stable response and improved transient decay provided by the control system.