Because of their mechanical simplicity, high dynamic range, low power requirements, large force capacity and robustness, magneto-rheological (MR) fluid dampers have been shown to be semi-active control devices that mesh well with application demands and constraints to offer an attractive means of protecting civil infrastructure systems against severe earthquake and wind loading. Following an overview of the essential features of MR fluids, this paper examines the efficacy of various models for prediction of the response of full-scale MR dampers. The predictive ability of both an axisymmetric model and a simpler parallel-plate model is studied. Finally, a comparison between the analytical and experimental results for a 20-ton MR fluid damper is presented.
The full paper in PDF format is here (365KB).
Other papers on magnetorheological fluid damper research can be found here.
