Frictional Energy Harvesting Vibration Absorbers

Structural vibration control is essential for enhancing the safety and longevity of engineering systems. Traditional Tuned Mass Dampers (TMDs) effectively mitigate vibrations but are limited by their reliance on large auxiliary masses. To address this challenge, we propose the Frictional Energy Harvesting Vibration Absorber (FEHVA), a novel hybrid absorber that integrates frictional damping with energy harvesting. The governing equations of FEHVA are derived using the statistical linearisation method, and optimal design parameters are determined via H2 optimisation. Dynamic response evaluations reveal that FEHVA achieves up to 14.20% improved vibration reduction over conventional TMDs under harmonic and random excitations. Furthermore, comparisons with the Inerter Energy Harvesting Vibration Absorber (IEHVA) show that FEHVA provides 85.97% superior vibration attenuation, demonstrating its efficiency in broadband vibration mitigation. The hybrid combination of frictional damping and energy harvesting significantly enhances structural resilience while generating electrical power. These results establish FEHVA as a robust, sustainable alternative for vibration control in civil engineering applications. By offering enhanced damping and energy harvesting simultaneously, FEHVA presents a step forward in the development of multifunctional vibration absorbers, advancing future engineering solutions for infrastructure subjected to dynamic loads.