Adaptive structures: Compensators by design

In the design of adaptive structures, actuator and sensor selection are cri tical to closed-loop stability and performance. In theory, for feedback con trol, all one requires is that the system is detectable and reachable from the chosen array of transducers. Loop shaping is typically accomplished thr ough the design of a dynamic compensator based upon trade-offs between desi red performance and stability. A crude method of loop-shaping through actua tor/sensor selection is provided herein. A fast, simple, open-loop method o f choosing actuators and sensors that couple to structural modes contributi ng to the performance path while concurrently penalizing coupling to modes not in this path is provided. Examples of adaptive structures designed for vibration, structural acoustic, and aeroelastic control are presented. (C) 2001 Institute of Noise Control Engineering.