Experimental investigation and control of magnetorheological damper towards smart energy absorption based composite structures for crashworthiness

This paper presents an extended experimental investigation and efficient control of magnetorheological (MR) damper towards smart energy absorption based composite structures for systems for crashworthiness. While the experimental evaluation of an existing MR damper based on the damping force was successful in our earlier work, the MR damper capability can be further examined with the wider range of velocities. Using two arms configuration, an experimental test rig is designed to enable the MR damper to be investigated throughout its full velocity range capability. A MR damper compatibility study to an existing composite tube was also conducted and showed promising quality to improve composite structures as systems for crashworthiness. A controller was then developed based on the MR damper investigation to provide automated variable control of induced current with a set crushing force and available data of composite tube crushing force. Numerical analysis on the proposed controller conveyed that MR damper was successfully controlled to provide consistent crushing force despite oscillation from the composite tube crushing force.