Feasibility and design of nonlinear negative‐stiffness isolating approach for solid‐rocket‐motor‐type structures

Abstract Solid rocket motor (SRM)‐type structures are popular due to their reliability, considering that service safety during transportation can be improved by applying advanced vibration control technologies. In this study, a negative‐stiffness‐enhanced isolation system (NSeIS) with appropriately designed linear and nonlinear properties was developed to vertically isolate SRMs subjected to transportation‐ and deployment‐induced vibrations. The NSeIS design, based on the combination of a negative‐stiffness device and vertical isolator, involved a clear mechanical model, physical realization, and mechanical properties. Parametric analyses were performed on a typical SRM controlled with a linear and nonlinear NSeIS and a conventional isolation system. Subsequently, a feasible parameter domain and design recommendations were deduced. Finally, design cases for the SRM for time‐domain verification were considered. The results revealed that the NSeIS offers a flexible and enhanced isolating effect through the parallel arrangement of the negative‐stiffness device and conventional isolators. For the motor‐type structure, NSeIS ensures marked enhancements in performance and multiple levels of mitigation effects. Thus, compared with a conventional isolator with the same damping, NSeIS achieves a more substantial negative‐stiffness effect for a large displacement response range owing to its nonlinear property. NSeIS can isolate more vibration‐induced energy, thereby suppressing the interface Mises stress, which is essential for SRM‐type structures.