Vibration mitigation of guyed masts via tuned pendulum dampers

A passive vibration mitigation architecture is proposed to damp transverse vibrations of guyed masts. The scheme is based on a number of pendula attached to the mast and tuned to the vibration modes to be controlled. This scheme differs from the well-known autoparametric pendulum absorber system. The equations of motion of the guyed mast with an arbitrary number of pendula are obtained. The leading bending behaviour of a typical truss mast is described by an equivalent beam model whereas the guys are conveniently modeled as equivalent transverse springs whose stiffness comprises the elastic and geometric stiffness. By assuming a mast with an inertially and elastically isotropic cross-section, a planar model of the guyed mast is investigated. The linearization of the equations of motion of the mast subject to a harmonic distributed force leads to the transfer functions of the structure without the dampers and with the dampers. The transfer functions allow to investigate the mitigation effects of the pendula. By employing one pendulum only, tuned to the frequency of the lowest mode, the effectiveness of the passive vibration potential in reducing the motion and acceleration of the top section of the mast is demonstrated.