Vibration control of NES for point-supported plate under arbitrary multi-frequency excitation

Most studies on vibration control of a nonlinear energy sink (NES) for thin plates focus on single-frequency or integral-multiple multi-frequency excitation. However, it is important to note that in practical scenarios, most plates are often subjected to arbitrary multi-frequency excitation. In this paper, a mathematical model is established for a rectangular plate with four-point support and a NES. To ensure the completeness of the solution for nonlinear vibration response under arbitrary multi-frequency excitation, a multi-frequency harmonic balance (MFHBM) method is proposed. The proposed method involves discretizing the excitation frequency equivalently and deriving an approximate solution in the form of harmonic superposition using trigonometric functions. The proposed method's validity and high computational precision have been validated through a comparison with numerical results. In addition, to demonstrate the excellent vibration damping effect of NES in multi-frequency vibration environments, parameter analysis is conducted using dual-frequency and tri-frequency excitation as illustrative examples. It revealsthat under specific NES parameters and different frequency parameters, the vibration damping effect at the center of the rectangular plate can exceed 37 % when resonance occurs. Furthermore, a comprehensive discussion on the parameter influence of NES showcases its remarkable versatility in multi-frequency vibration environments. This study will serve a valuable reference for effectively mitigating arbitrary multi-frequency vibration in plates.