Vibration suppression in SDOF systems coupled to a nonlinear energy sink under colored noise

This study analyzes the stochastic vibration suppression and optimization of the single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system equipped with the cubic stiffness nonlinear energy sink (NES) under colored noise excitation. Two theoretical methods are proposed: an integrated method (denoted as EL-ELM) that combines evolutionary Lyapunov theory with the equivalent linearization method, and the other is an empirical formula. Using EL-ELM, the coupled nonlinear system is simplified to an equivalent linear stochastic system , allowing for a theoretical analysis of the impact of NES structural parameters on suppression performance and the precise determination of optimal parameter configurations for the best suppression effects. Subsequently, based on the results from the EL-ELM and the response data, an empirical formula has been developed that clearly describes the comprehensive laws governing the optimal NES parameters as they vary with vibration system parameters and stochastic excitation. Through error analysis and comparison of the two methods, it is found that the empirical formula significantly outperforms EL-ELM in terms of accuracy and computational cost, but it is contingent on solid prior knowledge. This study explores the influence of NES structural parameters on the system’s dynamic response and energy, further validating the effectiveness of the proposed methods in identifying optimal structural parameters. The phenomenon of targeted energy transfer (TET) under different NES structural parameters is also explained. The methodologies introduced in this study have strengthened the theory of vibration suppression. Specifically, the empirical formula excels in accuracy and computational efficiency by effectively using prior knowledge. The EL-ELM method, owing to its theoretical insights, is vital for analyzing complex stochastic nonlinear models . Combining these approaches offers guidance for advancing vibration control in theoretical and practical domains. • A novel method is proposed to optimize the cubic NES design under colored noise. • The empirical formula is established to determine the optimal NES parameters. • Optimal NES params revealed to depend on system params and noise characteristics. • Verified methods’ effectiveness via dynamic analysis. • Elucidated the phenomenon of target energy transfer.