This book is intended to present the basic principles and potential applications of passive and active vibration damping technologies. The presentation encompasses a mix between the associated physical fundamentals, governing theories, and optimal design strategies of various configurations of vibration damping treatments. Utilization of smart materials to augment the vibration damping of passive treatments is the common thread that is pursued, in depth, throughout the book.

The focus has been on developing a deeper understanding of the science behind various phenomena that govern the control of structural vibration using appropriate damping techniques. It is my intention, in writing this book, to explain in a simple yet comprehensive manner such scientific basics with particular focus on viscoelastic damping materials and the means for controlling passively and actively their energy dissipation characteristics. The book was developed throughout the years during my teaching of various classes on passive and active vibration and noise control. My research in these areas has enriched my teaching and broadened my understanding of these topics. I have tried to blend simple theory with basic engineering practice to enable the students and practicing engineers to understand the science and apply it with confidence. My guide in this effort has been the saying of Albert Einstein:

“Why does this applied science, which saves work and makes life easier, bring us so little happiness? The simple answer runs: Because we have not yet learned to make sensible use of it”.

So, in this book, I have attempted applying the theories to various applications, introducing a wide variety of examples and presenting detailed computer simulations, to make the implementation real and practical.

The book includes 12 chapters divided into two parts. The first part is devoted to outlining the basics of vibration damping and this coverage is divided into six chapters. In the second part, various configurations of advanced vibration damping treatments are presented in four chapters that include applications to different structural systems. Part I starts with an introductory chapter on the field of passive and active vibration damping, followed by Chapter 2 that covers the classical models of viscoelastic damping materials. Chapter 3 presents the important characterization methods of viscoelastic materials both in the frequency and time domains. Advanced modeling techniques of viscoelastic materials are covered in Chapter 4. These methods, which include the Prony series, Gola–Hughes–MacTavish, augmented‐temperature field, and fractional derivative methods, are presented to enable modeling the dynamics of structures treated with viscoelastic materials by using the finite element method in both the time and frequency domains. The use of modal strain energy as a metric for predicting the modal loss factor of structures treated with damping materials and for optimal design of damping treatments is discussed in Chapter 5. Estimation of the energy dissipation characteristics of various configurations of passive and active damping treatments is described in Chapter 6 for rods, beams, and plates. Part II presents in Chapter 7 the application of passive and active constrained layer damping treatments to beams, plates, and shells. Chapter 8 deals with modeling of various advanced damping treatments such as: stand-off, functionally graded, active piezoelectric damping composites, and magnetic damping treatments. In Chapters 9 and 10, shunted piezoelectric and periodic treatments are described, respectively, as undamped treatments that behave as conventional damping treatments with potentially tunable characteristics. Chapter 11 presents a wide variety of passive and active nanoparticle damping composites and Chapter 12 looks at the problem of power flow in damped structural systems.

The book has a large number of numerical examples to reinforce the understanding of the theories covered, provide means for exercising the knowledge gained, and emphasize the learning of strategies for the design and application of active and passive vibration damping systems. The examples are supported by a set of MATLAB software modules to enable the designers of vibration damping systems extend the theories presented to various applications.

Each chapter of the book will end with a number of problems that cover the different aspects of theoretical analysis, design, and applications of vibration damping technologies.

In this multi‐prong coverage approach, the book is targeted to senior undergraduate students, graduate students, researcher, and practicing engineers who are interested in gaining an in‐depth exposure to the field of vibration damping. The presentation and supporting tools associated with the book will enable the readers of having hands‐on experience to the analysis, design, optimization, and application of this exciting technology to a wide range of situations.

Writing this book would have been virtually impossible without the tireless support of many students, colleagues, and friends who have enriched my life in many ways. These contributions are apparent throughout the book. In particular, I would like to mention the invaluable inputs and contributions from Professors Wael Akl and Adel Al Sabbagh of Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt. Also, thanks are due to Prof. Osama Aldraihem of King Saud University in Saudi Arabia for his collaborations over the years and contributions to Chapter 11 and Prof. Massimo Ruzzene of Georgia Tech for many years of very fruitful collaborations.

Thanks are also due to my colleagues and former students who have pioneered the field of active vibration damping and control including: Dr. Mohamed Raafat, Dr. Soon-Neo Poh of the NSWC Center, Prof. Jeng-Jong Ro at Da-Yeh University in Taiwan, Dr. Tung Huei Chen of the NSWC Center, Dr. Chul-Hue Park at Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement (KIRIA), Dr. Charles Kim at NASA-Goddard, Dr. Zheng Gu at Zhejiang Tiatai Liangxin Co. in China, the late Dr. Jaeho Oh, Dr. Adel Omer of the Military Technical College in Cairo, Dr. Ted Shields of Northrop-Grumman, Dr. Peter Herdic of the NRL, Dr. William Laplante the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Prof. Ray Manas of Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, Prof. Mustafa Arafa of the American University in Cairo, Prof. Mohammed Al-Ajami of Kuwait University, Prof. Mohamed Tawfik of Cairo University, Dr. Mary Leibolt of NSWC, Prof. Mostafa Nouh of SUNY Buffalo, and Prof. John Crassidis of SUNY Buffalo. Thanks are also due to my former students Mr. Atif Chaudry of the US Patent Office and Mr. Giovanni Rosannova of NASA Wallop for their work in passive and active damping.

It is important to note that my work in the area of active vibration damping has been funded primarily by the Army Research Office (ARO) with Dr. Gary Anderson as the technical monitor, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) with Dr. Kam Ng as the technical monitor and by Dr. Turki S. Al-Saud the President of King Abdulaziz City for Science & Technology (KACST), Riyadh. Without their support, trust, and friendship, this work would have not been possible.

Special thanks are also due to the administration of the University of Maryland for providing me with the excellent scholarly environment that enabled me developing my professional career and of course writing this book. Important among those administrators are: former President Dan Mote, now the President of NAE, former Provost William Destler, now the President of RIT, former Provost Nariman Farvardin, now the President of Stevens Institute of Technology, current President of UMD President Wallace Loh, Dean of Engineering Darryll Pines, Prof. Davinder Anand, former Chair of ME Department, Prof. William Fourney, Associate Dean of Engineering, Prof. Avi Bar-Cohen, former Chair of ME Department, and Prof. Balakumar Balachandran the current Chair of the ME Department. Apart from their vast professional impact on me, I sincerely and equally value their friendship and collegiality.

Finally, writing this book has been enjoyable and possible because of the tireless support and sacrifice of my wonderful wife and my two great sons who are my true friends and heroes.