Multiparameter vibration isolator with magnetic inerter and GER-control

Abstract

Traditional passive vibration isolators (VIs) suppress resonance by increasing damping or introducing an inerter. However, they suffer from degraded high-frequency isolation owing to the water bed effect. This paper presents a multiparameter VI with magnetic inerter-based damping (MID) that achieves passive sky-hook damping through the purely mechanical configuration of a magnetic lead screw (MLS). The MLS serves simultaneously as a nonlinear inerter and a frequency-dependent damper, producing experimentally validated damping characteristics with 43.0 % lower peak transmissibility (10.78 dB) compared to conventional two-parameter VIs (18.91 dB), while preserving a −40 dB/dec high-frequency roll-off. Theoretical modelling quantitatively explains these frequency-dependent damping features. Furthermore, a frequency-adaptive control method that enables real-time co-regulation of damping and stiffness via a giant electrorheological (GER) fluid is developed, yielding a 19.41 % additional low-frequency isolation improvement over passive operation. Experimental validation confirmed a 78.31 % isolation efficiency enhancement at the natural frequency of the system with complete suppression of high-frequency vibration amplification compared with conventional two-parameter VIs. Thus, this study establishes a novel multiparameter VI by synergistically integrating a magnetic inerter with GER smart materials.