Structural design and analysis of vibration reduction characteristics of a bistable buckled beam absorber

Bistable beams have shown remarkable performance in vibration energy harvesting, attracting considerable attention. However, their potential for vibration reduction remains largely unexplored. To achieve an integrated design for energy harvesting and vibration control, this study focuses on a bistable buckled beam absorber (BBBA) structure to evaluate its vibration suppression capabilities. The findings provide new insights into the synergistic application of bistable beams for effective vibration control and potential energy harvesting. The core structure of the BBBA comprises an elastic beam with two stable equilibrium positions. By applying a driving torque, the potential energy barrier is reduced, enhancing snap-through behavior and improving vibration control performance. A novel modeling approach for the BBBA is proposed to systematically analyze its dynamic behavior. The buckling characteristics of the structure are analyzed, and a dynamic model of the buckled beam is established. Finite element simulations are conducted to compute the snap-through process and natural frequencies, revealing the relationship between the movable hinge position and the critical snap-through load. Finally, a BBBA prototype is fabricated, and sweep frequency tests are performed to determine its effective operating frequency range, identified as 4–17 Hz. The BBBA’s vibration suppression performance is evaluated using a manipulator model, demonstrating up to a 60% reduction in vibration amplitude within this frequency range. These findings provide both theoretical and experimental support for the application of BBBAs in engineering vibration mitigation.