Experimental Characterization of a Magnetorheological Damper by a Polynomial Model

In this work a low-order polynomial model for a commercial magnetorheological (MR) damper is presented. The model parameters are obtained by experimental tests using a universal testing machine to provide different loading conditions to MR damper. Numerical simulations are used to validate the obtained experimental model. The obtained results prove the non-linear hysteretic behavior of the MR damper can be fairly well predicted by a second order polynomial function. From this relationship an inverse model force-current may be established in order to develop semi-active control algorithms to allow the vibration attenuation through the characterized damper in structures or machines.