The effectiveness of multiple tuned mass dampers (MTMD) for suppressing harmonically forced oscillations is studied in the paper. In particular the influence of possible connections between the masses of the damper on the main system performance is investigated using four different configurations of a double mass damper. For this, a minimax procedure, which considers all dampers parameters and variables, is used to optimize each configuration and compare their influence on the minimum value of the maximum magnification factor of the main system. A parametric study shows that small variations in the MTMD parameters and the way in which the masses are connected have a marked influence on the main system response. This sensitivity gives the designer more freedom in choosing the proper damper configuration in a practical situation.
tuned mass damper; multiple tuned mass damper; vibration control; structural dynamics; damper optimization
