A substructures method for the active control design of large periodic structures

A substructural control approach is presented in the control design of large periodic structures with identically repeating substructures. The approach makes use of wave propagation concepts in structural vibrations. After noting relations between vibrational displacements of a large periodic structure, the substructural controller, designed for a reference substructure, is used to assemble the global controller for the entire structure. The accuracy of the method is verified with the example of the control design of a large periodic structure consisting of 9 repetitive substructures. Since only a typical repeating substructure, the reference substructure, is used for the global control design, the technique is expected to be very attractive for the control design engineers of large periodic structures.