Bench-scale experiment for structural control

Experimental verification of structural control strategies is essential for eventual full-scale implementations. However, few researchers have facilities readily available to them that are capable of even small-scale structural control experiments. This paper demonstrates that appropriately constructed bench-scale models can be used to study important aspects of full-scale structural control implementations, including control-structure interaction, actuator and sensor dynamics, actuator saturation effects, limited availability of sensors, output feedback design, digital control implementation, and control spillover. The active control experiment considered herein is shown to be an effective tool for familiarizing students, researchers, and practitioners with control system design and the associated challenges. Moreover, this experiment provides an excellent platform for conducting proof-of-concept tests of control strategies, providing impetus for the most promising approaches to be verified at larger-scale facilities.