EFFECT OF INTRINSIC DAMPING ON VIBRATION TRANSMISSIBILITY OF NICKEL-TITANIUM SHAPE-MEMORY ALLOY SPRINGS

A research study was undertaken to measure the transmissibility of nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) shape memory alloy (SMA) springs and to compare the results to corresponding data on steel and INCONEL springs. It was motivated by interest in an effective metal alternative to rubber-based machinery isolation mounts, with possible active control features. Ni-Ti was used due to its well-known properties of shape memory and high intrinsic damping. Acceleration transmissibility was measured on a spring-mass system. Due to the distributed mass in the spring coils, standing waves occurred at high frequencies. However, due to the high intrinsic damping in Ni-Ti, the standing wave resonance peaks were as much as 20 dB lower than corresponding peaks in steel and INCONEL springs. Thus, the capability of Ni-Ti springs for high frequency acoustic isolation is significantly better than that of steel or INCONEL. Also, it is judged that the Ni-Ti material could be used in a variety of other isolation mount designs with a high likelihood for further improvement in passive isolation properties. In addition, it may be possible to use the shape memory effect (SME) in active control concepts.