Nonlinear dynamic response of a Negative Stiffness-Shape Memory Alloy isolation system

Abstract

\n The negative stiffness exhibited by bi-stable mechanisms together with tunable hysteresis in the context of vibration isolation devices can enhance the dynamic resilience of a structure. The effects of negative stiffness and shape memory alloy (SMA) damping in base-isolated structures are here explored by carrying out an extensive study of the nonlinear dynamic response via pathfollowing, bifurcation analysis, and time integration. The frequency-response curves of the isolated structure, with and without the negative stiffness contribution, are numerically obtained for different excitation amplitudes to construct the acceleration and displacement transmissibility curves. The advantages of negative stiffness, damping augmentation and reduced accelerations and displacements transmissibility, as well as the existence of rich bifurcation scenarios giving rise to quasi-periodicity and synchronization, are extensively illustrated.