Search Results (153)

This paper addresses indirect sensing in resonant, oscillating, and periodically forced sensors, where the physical measurand is not directly available as a static output but is encoded in the dynamic response of the device. The sensor and its excitation are described as a single autonomous system, in which the excitation phase and the slowly varying measurand define a compact state representation after the decay of transients. Within this setting, delayed samples of the available output define an observation map that can be inverted, under suitable smoothness and observability conditions, to reconstruct the measurand in a deadbeat-like fashion. Compared with a preliminary conference study based on a simplified scalar-output RLC benchmark, the present work extends the formulation to vector-valued outputs, introduces a local conditioning indicator based on the Jacobian matrix, and focuses on a micromechanical sensing case with nonlinear electromechanical transduction. The inverse observation map is approximated by a feedforward neural network trained on synthetic data generated from the autonomous model. The methodology is applied to a vibratory MEMS gyroscope, where the signed angular rate is reconstructed from a delayed-output sequence combining the nonlinear capacitive current readout and the known AC drive reference. The augmented output is introduced to overcome the lack of observability affecting the raw current signal over signed angular-rate ranges. Numerical results show accurate reconstruction in ideal conditions and provide a preliminary robustness assessment under additive output noise. Full article

By using 1~2 degrees of freedom (DOF) examples, linear/nonlinear and quasi-periodical systems (QPS) are investigated based on the energy-flow theory (EFT), which reveals the following new findings on chaotic motions. (a) A 1-DOF linear non-damped-forced motion is chaotic if there is no least common multiple (LCM) for the periods of natural and force frequencies. (b) For a 1-DOF nonlinear non-damping-forced system with nonlinear stiffness of $\gamma x^2,\left(\gamma >0\right),$ both the free vibration by initial conditions and the composed motion with forced one excited by a force of given frequency are chaotic; while, when damping is added, the free vibration is damped to zero, but the forced vibration consists of different frequency components showing chaotic characteristics. (c) For a 1-DOF system of natural frequency 1 with nonlinear damping $2\epsilon \left(\dot{x}\right)=-2+\dot{x}+{\dot{x}}^2,$ $\epsilon \left(\dot{x}\right)<0$, ${\epsilon \left(\dot{x}\right)}^2<1,$ the free vibration by the initial conditions ($x_0=1,p_0=0$) is along a non-repeating orbit towards a zero energy-flow limit circle of $\dot{E}=0, p=-1$. The tackled 1-DOF systems of no LCMs belong to a type of QPS, which implies that the orbit of a QPS in the phase space is also a non-closed curve, and based on the EFT, its motion is chaotic. The chaotic orbits of above 1-DOF cases in the phase space, as well as a 2-DOF free vibration case, are numerically examined to confirm the theoretical prediction. The findings may suggest that the LCMs could be an important factor in identifying chaotic motions. It is demonstrated that the generalised potential energy (GPE) and the energy-flow characteristic factors (EFCF), respectively, play a Lyapunov function and exponents to tackle the stabilities and chaotic motions of dynamic systems. Full article

To investigate the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of magnetic suspended dual-rotor systems, this study examines periodic and quasi-periodic responses induced by bearing nonlinearities, including flux leakage and magnetic saturation effects. A nonlinear dynamic model is established using the finite element method, incorporating unbalance excitation and nonlinear bearing forces. A comprehensive parametric analysis is conducted to evaluate the effects of rotational speed, initial stiffness, and initial damping on the system’s dynamic responses and bifurcation behavior. The results reveal the occurrence of period-5 and quasi-periodic vibrations under nonlinear bearing conditions. In the quasi-periodic regime, low-frequency components dominate, and the force–current characteristics of the magnetic bearings spread over a wider band, reflecting a multi-valued force–current relationship. Furthermore, decreasing initial stiffness and increasing damping advance the onset of quasi-periodic responses and reduce the corresponding critical rotational speed. Notably, through real-time control adjustment, quasi-periodic motion can be converted into periodic motion, thereby distinguishing the system from conventional mechanically supported rotor systems. Experimental results obtained from a magnetic suspended dual-rotor test rig validate both the bearing-force model and the dynamic model, and further reveal periodic variations in system response under different speed ratios. Full article

The distinct engineering advantages of Oscillating Water Column (OWC) systems have driven substantial academic interest lately. This work examines the onshore U-shaped OWC (U-OWC), selected for its cost-effective installation integrated with existing coastal infrastructure and its superior broadband response to diverse wave climates. Time-domain CFD simulations, incorporating the scaling-rematched approach, were conducted to quantify key hydrodynamic and air-compressibility coefficients, including the amplitude of the wave exciting force, fluid damping coefficient, added mass, absorption factor, and the effective PTO (power take-off) damping and air-compressibility coefficients. These parameters collectively elucidate the underlying hydrodynamics and how they are interwoven with the compressibility of the air in the plenum chamber, thereby impacting the U-OWC’s energy-capture performance under incident waves. A principal finding is the identification of a C+ interval wherein air compressibility enhances capture performance in the lower wave-period range examined (<8.0 s). The added mass of the present U-OWC exhibits a remarkably pronounced decrease around the wave period of 8.0 s, which can be verified by a simple resonance formula of heave buoys to underline its strong near-resonance behavior. Full article

To reveal the nonlinear instability mechanism by which the three-degree-of-freedom rotor system of a magnetic-liquid double suspension bearing transforms from stable suspension to periodic vibration, a nonlinear dynamic model considering electromagnetic suspension force, hydrostatic supporting force, rotor unbalance force, and liquid film resistance is established. The equilibrium point of the system is linearized, and the Hopf bifurcation boundary is determined using the Routh–Hurwitz criterion. Numerical simulations are then carried out to investigate the effects of the initial current i₀, supply flow rate q₀, and different initial disturbances on the displacement time histories, phase trajectories, and spatial phase trajectories of the rotor. The results show that, under the given system parameters, the Hopf bifurcation boundary is 0.61 A for the initial current and 9.62 × 10⁻⁵ m³/s for the supply flow rate. Current variation mainly affects electromagnetic stiffness and nonlinear electromagnetic force, whereas flow rate variation primarily changes the hydrostatic load capacity and oil film damping characteristics. Under different initial disturbances, the system may exhibit amplitude attenuation, recovery to stable suspension, or finite amplitude periodic vibration. Experimental results show good agreement with numerical simulations in terms of frequency spectra, displacement time histories, and phase trajectories, thereby verifying the effectiveness of the proposed three-degree-of-freedom dynamic model and Hopf bifurcation analysis method. The results can provide theoretical guidance for parameter matching, stability evaluation, and self-excited vibration suppression of magnetic-liquid double suspension bearings. Full article

During the harvest period, the role of lateral leaves in the dynamic behavior of the walnut (Juglans regia) branch–leaf–fruit subsystem remains unclear, and vibration harvesting parameter selection still lacks targeted guidance. To address this issue, a local walnut branch–leaf–fruit subsystem was studied by combining a discrete dynamic model, free-vibration tests, forced-vibration tests, and MATLAB simulations to investigate the effects of lateral leaf number on system dynamics. A representative single-fruit subsystem with six lateral leaves was selected, and four leaf number conditions (zero, two, four, and six) were examined. High-speed imaging was used to identify leaf motion patterns, while natural frequencies and fruit tracking point displacement responses were measured. The results showed that lateral leaves mainly exhibited three motion modes during vibration: spin, swing, and spin–swing compound motion. Under the six-leaf condition, spin motion was dominant. As the number of lateral leaves increased from 0 to 6, the first-order natural frequency decreased from 13.92 ± 6.37 Hz to 8.79 ± 4.03 Hz, a reduction of 36.8%. Forced-vibration results showed that increasing lateral leaf number significantly reduced the displacement response of the fruit tracking point in the non-excitation directions. Under the six-leaf condition, the maximum displacements in the Y- and Z-directions were reduced by 56.0% and 55.8%, respectively, compared with the leafless condition, indicating that the forced response became more concentrated in the main excitation direction. In the original MATLAB model, lateral leaves were simplified as fixed lumped mass damping elements, and the predicted results differed from the experimental trends. After introducing dynamic damping parameters matched to leaf motion patterns, the simulated trends became closer to the experimental results. These findings indicate that lateral leaf number is an important structural factor affecting the natural characteristics and directional forced responses of the walnut branch–leaf–fruit subsystem. The results provide theoretical and experimental references for optimizing vibration parameters and supporting low-damage, high-efficiency walnut vibration harvesting. Full article

Hysteretic nonlinear vibration systems can exhibit jumps, coexisting attractors, and strong dependence on the initial state, particularly when material hysteresis is coupled with geometric nonlinearity. This paper investigates the global nonlinear dynamics of a harmonically forced single-degree-of-freedom oscillator incorporating pseudoelastic shape memory alloy (SMA) wires in a perpendicular geometric configuration. Cyclic force–displacement tests on pseudoelastic SMA wires are used to calibrate the constitutive response, after which steady-state dynamics are analyzed using time integration, numerical continuation (COCO), and basin-of-attraction computations over representative excitation frequencies, pre-tension levels, and the number of wires. The calibrated model predicts rich response regimes including jump phenomena, coexisting stable solutions, multistability, asymmetric periodic responses, and the pronounced dependence of the achieved steady response on initial conditions and internal state. Basin computations reveal sensitive partitioning of the state space between competing attractors, highlighting the influence of the initial and internal state in oscillators that combine pseudoelastic hysteresis with geometric stiffening. Additional numerical exploration of a negative pre-tension extension indicates transitions to more complex responses, including quasi-periodic and chaotic behaviour, but these are presented as secondary results outside the directly validated tension-wire regime. The results clarify how calibrated SMA hysteresis and geometric nonlinearity jointly shape multistability and basin structure in pseudoelastic oscillators. Full article

Seismic isolation systems are widely adopted in bridge engineering to reduce earthquake-induced force transfer and improve structural resilience. Conventional lead rubber bearings (LRBs) provide effective energy dissipation and period elongation; however, their limited recentering capability may result in significant residual displacement after strong ground motions. This study investigates the seismic performance of a two-level shape memory alloy–lead rubber bearing (TL-LRB-SMA) hybrid isolation system for multi-span bridges considering structural flexibility, support compliance, and geometric irregularity. A nonlinear analytical model of the hybrid isolator was developed and validated under cyclic loading using benchmark hysteretic behavior from the literature. Subsequently, a multi-degree-of-freedom numerical model of an eleven-span benchmark bridge was established and verified through modal analysis, equivalent static analysis, and comparison with MSBridge software (MSBridge Beta 1.0.1). Nonlinear time-history analyses were performed using multiple excitation scenarios, including the 1940 El-Centro record, Kobe ground motion, oblique seismic incidence, and combined loading cases. Flexible foundation conditions were represented using equivalent translational soil springs. The results indicate that the TL-LRB-SMA system consistently improves self-centering performance and significantly reduces residual displacement relative to conventional LRBs. For the regular bridge with 48 ft piers, residual displacement decreased from 0.786 inches to 0.268 inches under El-Centro excitation, while under combined excitation it reduced from 0.264 inches to 0.087 inches. For irregular bridge configurations, substantial residual displacement reductions were also observed under both longitudinal and oblique loading. Although moderate increases in peak displacement occurred in some cases due to staged SMA activation, the overall recentering performance improved markedly. Overall, the proposed TL-LRB-SMA system demonstrates strong potential for enhancing seismic resilience and post-earthquake serviceability of bridge structures, particularly in flexible and irregular configurations. Full article

This paper applies physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) to laterally excited liquid sloshing in a two-dimensional rectangular tank, where near-resonant forcing (${\omega }_e/{\omega }_1=0.9$) produces a multi-frequency beating response with a period of approximately $10T_1$. Linearized potential flow theory governs the problem; the network learns the velocity potential $\phi (x,z,t)$ while the free-surface elevation $\eta$ is injected analytically. Two training obstacles specific to forced sloshing are analyzed. First, a zero-solution trap arises because the trivial solution $\widehat{\phi }=0$ satisfies all equations except the free-surface conditions, whose residuals are roughly ${10}^{-4}$ times smaller than the Laplace residual; characteristic-scale normalization combined with loss weighting (${\lambda }_D={\lambda }_K=100$) breaks this trap. Second, spectral bias prevents standard MLPs from resolving the three co-existing frequencies (${\omega }_1$, ${\omega }_e$, $\mathsf{\Delta }\omega$); a Fourier time embedding that augments the input from 3 to 9 dimensions overcomes this limitation. Two additional techniques further reduce errors: a hard-wall boundary condition enforced exactly via a $\cos (\pi x/B)$ spatial embedding, which eliminates wall collocation points; and a gradient-enhanced Laplace regularizer (${\parallel \nabla \left({\nabla }^2\widehat{\phi }\right)\parallel }^2$) that constrains velocity smoothness through third-order automatic differentiation. An ablation study shows that these four techniques progressively reduce the horizontal velocity error from ${\epsilon }_u=12.46\%$ to $0.84\%$. Results are validated against a viscous finite-difference benchmark. Over one beating cycle the errors are ${\epsilon }_{\eta }=0.15\%$, ${\epsilon }_u=0.84\%$, and ${\epsilon }_w=1.65\%$. A frequency parameter study across ${\omega }_e/{\omega }_1$ = 0.5–1.1 gives ${\epsilon }_{\eta }<0.25\%$ and ${\epsilon }_u<2.3\%$ for all near-resonance cases. For long-time simulation, a time-domain decomposition strategy with transfer learning partitions the domain into one-beat windows; extending to five beating cycles ($50T_1$) yields ${\epsilon }_u=3.43\%$ and ${\epsilon }_{\eta }=0.30\%$ with no monotonic error accumulation across windows. The methodology is then extended to a three-dimensional rectangular tank ($B\times W\times H$) with bi-directional lateral excitation. The 3-D formulation introduces the y-dimension into the Laplace equation (${\nabla }^2\phi ={\phi }_{xx}+{\phi }_{yy}+{\phi }_{zz}=0$), adds transverse wall boundary conditions ($\partial \phi /\partial y=0$) enforced exactly via a $\cos (\pi y/W)$ embedding, and extends the Fourier time embedding from 9 to 16 dimensions to accommodate six physical frequencies. The bi-directional excitation excites both $(m,0)$ and $(0,n)$ modal families, producing a genuinely three-dimensional beating response. Experimental results verify that the proposed methods can be well generalized to three-dimensional scenarios. Within a single beating cycle, the relative errors reach ${\epsilon }_{\eta }=0.24\%$, ${\epsilon }_u=1.31\%$, ${\epsilon }_v=1.78\%$ and ${\epsilon }_w=2.32\%$, with a total training time of 2499 s. By applying time domain decomposition to carry out two-cycle three-dimensional simulations, the model can steadily maintain satisfactory prediction precision across segmented time intervals, achieving overall errors of ${\epsilon }_{\eta }=0.30\%$ and ${\epsilon }_u=1.32\%$. Full article

This paper presents the process of gathering data for a flapping-wing micro air vehicle (FWMAV) using optical tracking and force sensors for subsequent dynamic modeling and simulation purposes. Tethered and clamped experiments were performed to track the vehicle’s overall motion, wing kinematic angles, and aerodynamic force patterns, while additional properties such as mass, inertia tensor, center-of-mass position, and short-period excitation frequency were also examined. The methodology includes the testing approaches, modeling choices, and error analyses applied to the measurements. The results demonstrate that both tethered and clamped configurations introduce key limitations, particularly for steady-state flight. Additional constraints include structural fragility (hindering high-frequency testing), over-simplified CAD geometry, and controller tuning issues on the tail. Based on the identified parameters and experimental datasets, a high-fidelity simulation model was developed in MATLAB to serve as a platform for future control and flight envelope studies. Overall, the combination of optical tracking and force sensing provides a structured framework for linking experimental data to physical models, laying the foundation for future improvements in ornithopter modeling and testing. Full article

To address the longitudinal vibration issues in high-speed elevators induced by external excitations, this study constructs a high-precision multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) dynamic model to systematically analyze vertical dynamic response characteristics. Utilizing the substructure method, the complex traction system is decomposed into several subsystems, including the traction device, tensioning device, car and car frame, counterweight system, and segmented wire ropes. By integrating Lagrange’s equations with Newton’s second law, the governing differential equations of motion for each component are derived, establishing an adaptable global dynamic model. The forced vibration analysis focuses on the impacts of periodic excitation from traction sheave eccentricity, piecewise reverse braking torque, and vertical impacts from guide rail joints on car vibration response and wire rope dynamic stress. The results indicate that: traction sheave eccentricity leads to periodic fluctuations in car acceleration, with vibration peaks decreasing as the payload increases; reverse braking torque triggers impulsive acceleration overshoots, where the peak value under full-load conditions increases by approximately 15% compared to the no-load condition, accompanied by a longer duration of low-frequency vibrations; guide rail joint impacts produce instantaneous acceleration spikes, which increase by about 18% under high-speed operating conditions; and the wire rope stress exhibits significantly higher sensitivity to load variations within the low-load range of 0–0.2. Full article

In this study, we employ the SPH method to systematically investigate the mechanism of interaction between sloshing water flow and elastic baffles in a shaking tank from two perspectives: single and multiple elastic baffles. We focus on researching the influence of external excitation frequency $\omega$, shaking angle $\theta$, and immersion ratio $h/h_b$ on the free surface elevations of the sloshing, the displacements and forces of the elastic baffles’ top positions, and the impact pressures on the side wall of the shaking tank. The results illustrate that the free surface elevation fluctuation period of the sloshing exhibits a significant frequency dependence on $\omega$. Specifically, when $\omega$ approaches the resonant frequency of the tank ${\omega }_1$, the free surface elevations, displacements, forces, and impact pressures reach their maximum values. The shaking angle $\theta$ has a clear amplification effect for the free surface elevations, displacements, forces, and impact pressures. The amplitudes of the free surface elevations are relatively close when $h/h_b=0.75$ and $1.0$ and gradually decrease when $h/h_b=1.25$. The displacements, forces, and impact pressures show a decreasing trend with increasing $h/h_b$. Full article

This work considers optimal mechanical–electrical power conversion across rigid linkages equipped with current-controlled actuators. A novel cost function derived from a generalization of the Second Law of Thermodynamics is adopted from our previous work, where cycle-averaged energies are interpreted as generalized temperatures. A cost function based on generalized entropy generation is used to formulate an optimal control problem yielding a decoupled velocity feedback controller. Suboptimal gains are found, which are independent of both the excitation characteristics and the mechanical subsystem dynamics, and yield closed-loop stability. The effectiveness and simplicity of the resulting controller is demonstrated by a Monte Carlo simulation study, where random episodes of unknown, periodic forcing are applied under the proposed controller and compared with a maximum-efficiency controller. Results show that the proposed controller offers a higher statistical expectation for the average harvested power. Full article

With the rapidly growing global demand for clean energy, offshore wind power has become an important renewable energy source. To clarify how the principal dimensions affect the performance of a 15 MW-class floating wind turbine platform in 100 m water depth, this paper proposes a steel-concrete hybrid semi-submersible platform and systematically performs a parametric sensitivity analysis. The platform adopts a three-column configuration with heave tanks. The upper columns and cross braces are made of steel, while the lower hexagonal columns, pontoons, and heave tanks are constructed from concrete, significantly reducing steel consumption while satisfying structural and stability requirements. Focusing on three key design variables—draft, column spacing, and column diameter—this study establishes a unified normalized sensitivity analysis framework. It quantitatively evaluates their influence on platform mass, intact stability, natural periods, and fully coupled dynamic responses (including surge, heave, pitch motions, and mooring line tensions) under both operational and extreme conditions. The results reveal distinct roles of the principal dimensions in governing the platform dynamics: column spacing is the most sensitive parameter for tuning pitch response, restoring stiffness, and stability; increasing draft effectively suppresses heave and pitch responses but has only a limited effect on low-frequency surge motions; and column diameter strongly affects the natural periods of heave and pitch. Notably, dynamic responses exhibit significant nonlinear characteristics with variations in column diameter. When the diameter exceeds 110–120% of the baseline value, the peak pitch response under extreme sea states shows a deteriorating inflection point, accompanied by an accelerated surge in peak mooring loads. This indicates that excessive increases in column diameter may cause wave excitation forces to become dominant, thereby compromising the overall dynamic safety of the system. This paper identifies the governing geometric parameters for different motion modes and their control boundaries, providing a quantifiable and generalizable basis for the multi-objective collaborative design and cost reduction optimization of 15 MW steel-concrete hybrid semi-submersible floating wind turbine platforms. Full article

Efficient energy harvesting from open-channel flows offers a sustainable solution for powering distributed sensing systems in water infrastructure. This study investigates a piezoelectric wake-excited membrane vortex-induced vibration (VIV) energy harvester through a combined numerical and mechanical approach. The device features an upstream cylindrical bluff body that generates a periodic vortex street, exciting a downstream flexible membrane equipped with surface-mounted piezoelectric patches. A one-way coupled CFD–FEM framework implemented in ANSYS was employed to assess the effects of membrane length, material stiffness, and flow conditions on hydrodynamic loading, structural deformation, and deformation power. Results show that membrane length mainly affects oscillation amplitude and force levels, whereas material stiffness has a stronger influence on membrane deformation and RMS mechanical power. Among the investigated materials, low-stiffness polyethylene yields the highest deformation power, while none of the analysed configurations reaches a full lock-in condition within the explored parameter range. Complementary mechanical analysis revealed that the stiffness of commercial piezoelectric patches significantly reduces local strain, thereby constraining the practically harvestable energy in the present baseline configuration. Spectral power density analysis identified the dominant shedding frequency and its harmonics, confirming that the flow response is governed by a coherent periodic excitation. These findings highlight key design trade-offs in wake-excited membrane harvesters and provide useful guidance for the future optimisation of self-powered hydraulic monitoring systems. Full article