Multimodal optimization of piezoelectric patches number and placement for effective structural vibration reduction

Abstract The presence of vibrations is a common phenomenon in many applications, with the potential to lead to structural issues. Therefore, control is crucial for reducing oscillation amplitudes, suppressing undesirable resonances, and preventing structural fatigue failures. In this context, the use of piezoelectric patches to act as controllers on plates has been implemented. However, an optimization challenge in this scenario precedes the dynamic study, which is the investigation of patch positioning. In this paper, we developed a model in ANSYS to optimize positioning conditions with the Global and Local Optimization using Direct Search (GLODS) and the Direct Multisearch (DMS) algorithms. The aim is to determine the optimal patch location based on the electromechanical coupling coefficient (EMCC), with GLODS optimizing individual modes and DMS optimizing multiple modes simultaneously. This approach enables the calculation of tuning values for resistances and inductances, effectively mitigating vibration issues.