Recent developments in smart structures research in India

Several academic institutions and research laboratories and organisations are engaged in research in the area of smart structures, active vibration control in India. These include the Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institute of Science, National Aerospace Laboratory, Indian Space Research Organisation, Vikam Sarabhai Space Centre, Defence Research and Development Organisation etc. Mainly the research activities focus on the use of smart materials as actuators and sensors in vibration control. Some effort is also devoted to the development and characterisation of smart materials. Finite element modelling of composite laminates embedded with piezoelectric films and ceramics, magneto-strictive materials for structures and integrity analysis have been developed. Constitutive modeling of shape memory alloys, vibration control using active constrained layer damping treatment, evaluation of optimal control schemes using feed forward and feedback techniques, optimal location of actuator and sensors are some of the specific research areas undertaken. Active vibration control schemes have been devised and implemented on basic structural configurations like beams, plates and shells. Application areas include helicopter vibration control, flutter control, shape memory alloy as active vibration absorber, smart underwater anechoic linings from rubber matrix composites, active suspensions for vehicular vibration control and active noise control. This paper will highlight some of these activities in some detail.