Study on Cubic Stiffness Nonlinear Energy Sink Controlling Dynamic Responses of Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Structure by Shake Table Tests

A nonlinear energy sink (NES) has such advantages as controlling broader band responses and better robustness than conventional control devices like tuned mass dampers (TMDs). In this research, a cubic stiffness NES mitigating the dynamic responses of a multi-degree-of-freedom structure under white noise, harmonic and seismic excitations was tested using a shake table, and the influences of the parameters of the NES on vibration mitigation effects were investigated. The test results indicate that the NES has the same vibration mitigation effects on the acceleration responses under the white noise and harmonic excitations as TMDs, even though the mass ratio of the NES is less than that of a TMD. The average control effects of the NES on the acceleration responses of the structure under the effect of 100 seismic waves are better than those of a TMD, which indicates that an NES has better robustness than a TMD.