Experimental Testing and Evaluation of a Prototype Magnetorheological Damper

This paper presents experimental testing and evaluation of a prototype magnetorheological (MR) damper. An MR device fills the gap between purely passive and fully active control systems as it offers a reliability of passive systems, and yet it maintains the versatility and adaptability of the fully active devices. The MR devices are categorized as one of the semi-active control systems. Fast response, few moving parts, and low power requirements are one of the major factors that have generated special interest in MR devices. MR dampers are being used for control of vibrations in automobiles, for minimizing damage to civil engineering structures due to seismic motions, etc. In this paper, the basic theory behind the MR dampers and experimental testing is carried out, and its use in vibration control is also studied. For this purpose, an MR damper is fabricated in-house and tested in the newly setup laboratory of the department using an electrodynamic vibration shaker and associated data acquisition system. Its performance is then studied in the form of damping force, etc.