Title: Active structures in advanced engineering - an overview

Authors: Miomir K. Vukobratovic

Addresses: Mihailo Pupin Institute, Robotics Center, POB 15, Volgina, 11000 Belgrade, Yugoslavia

Abstract: In the paper, the usefulness of active systems is considered, whereby both their advantages and disadvantages are emphasised. Some characteristic examples of breakdowns and disasters of objects and construction are presented, such as the catastrophe of the Tacoma bridge, collapse of cooling towers, the breakdown of vertical mine transport and others. Some possible solutions of the mentioned constructions with properties of active response to various external perturbations of high intensity are also given. Besides these basically hypothetical solutions of active systems, in the paper the problems of road vehicles control, active control of aerofoil flutter, control of buildings and structures are briefly presented.

Keywords: active systems; disaster; variable geometry; aerofoil flutter; cooling tower; shaft vehicle; active suspension; safety engineering.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAT.2000.000220

International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology, 2000 Vol.13 No.1/2, pp.10-24

Published online: 13 Jul 2003 *

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