Damping of structural vibrations is of great importance in numerous applications, as it enables a calmer and healthier living environment. In the case of passive anti-vibration isolation, materials with high internal damping are used, where stiffness and damping are usually inversely proportional. By using systems that employ particles enclosed in a confined space for damping, the overall damping can be significantly improved, since, in addition to
the mechanism of internal damping within the material, other damping mechanisms related to the force network in such a system are also present. Such elements, in addition to providing damping properties, also ensure the ability to transfer structural loads of constructions and are continuously loaded. As part of the master’s thesis, we carried out an experimental analysis of the influence of particle size, particle size mixtures, filling, force,
and housing on the damping and stiffness of particle-based vibration damping elements for the purpose of vibration reduction in railway infrastructure. We prepared the experimental plan, test specimens, and determined the effects on damping and stiffness. Based on the experiments, we demonstrated that by adjusting the pressure in the specimens, selecting particle sizes, preparing size mixtures, and changing the hardness of the housings, we can drastically alter the damping and stiffness properties of the samples.
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