Critical Damping Design and Vibration Suppression Research of Elastic Beam Coupled with Fractional-Order Inerter-Based Dampers

This article focuses on the study of elastic beams with fractional-order inertial damping structures at both ends, with the aim of exploring their dynamic characteristics, damping effects, and parameter selection rules in depth, providing theoretical and practical support for engineering applications. Firstly, using the generalized Hamilton principle, two dynamic models of an elastic beam are established for two different boundary conditions. Next, using the complex modal analysis method, a design method for the critical damping of the first and second modes of an elastic beam was proposed for the first time, and the accuracy of the critical damping calculation formula was verified. Simulation analysis shows that the higher the derivative order and inertance, the lower the main resonance frequency, and the greater the critical damping. Then, using the main resonance amplitude and frequency attenuation rate (RA and RΩ) as indicators, an analysis was conducted on the impact of damper parameters on vibration suppression effects. The results indicate that the introduction of fractional-order inerter can reduce the main resonance amplitude and frequency, and critical damping plays a significant role in the vibration suppression process. Based on the optimal average RA range (95–98%) and higher cost-effectiveness, selecting a damping value of 0.05~0.6 times the critical damping ensures better overall vibration suppression performance, providing an important reference for the vibration suppression design of elastic beams in practical engineering.