Modeling, Control, and Validation of Electrohydrostatic Shock Absorbers

Abstract

The implementation of variable damping systems to increase the adaptability of mechanical structures to their working environment has been gaining increasing scientific interest, and numerous attempts have been devoted to address vibration control by means of active and semi-active devices. Although research results seem promising in some cases, the proposed solutions are often not able to fulfill requirements in terms of compactness and simplicity on one hand, and dynamic performance on the other. In this context, the present paper discusses the modeling and control of an electrohydrostatic actuation (EHA) system for its implementation as a damping device. A model of the device is proposed and analyzed for design purposes. Subsequently, a damping control strategy is presented. Finally, a case study introduces and validates an EHA prototype for helicopter rotor blade lead–lag damping.