The Tuned Mass Damper as a Subject in Engineering Mechanics Dynamics

Abstract

The course of Engineering Mechanics Dynamics is one of the most challenging courses for both mechanical and civil engineering programs, among others. But few universities dare to introduce projects to enhance students' curiosity, interest, and engagement toward engineering by constructing do-it-yourself physical prototypes, making measurements, and calculations to compete for the best performance. The intention of this project is to introduce a complex multiple-degree-of-freedom vibration problem in an easy manner, namely, the topic of a tuned mass damper (TMD) applied to earthquake-like oscillations. This type of projects directly addresses all seven student outcomes recommended by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET). The project develops critical thinking and inquiry skills by designing and constructing the prototype of a building-like structure and its corresponding TMD; conducting an experiment under certain constraints to test the attenuation after an initial displacement; applying an open-source freeware to plot and measure underdamped oscillations; calculating main vibration parameters; as well as comparing performance results with another teams. Students approach this complex tunning problem by trial-and-error of key TMD parameters, a strategy that sparks fun and gambling to the process and competition for the best performance in attenuation efficiency. Data from direct observation of students' performance, student surveys, reports, presentation videos, office hours, and interviews showed that students enthusiastically responded at all project stages, understood the TMD functioning, and appreciated the value of dynamics in engineering in a more meaningful way than it would be without this type of projects.