Experimental validation of vibration control in membrane structures using dielectric elastomer actuators in a vacuum environment.

• DEA is applied to reduce multiple modes vibration of a membrane structure. • Frequency responses are measured with laser excitation/measurement system. • Controller for vibration control is designed based on H ∞ control method. • Vibration control experiment is conducted in a vacuum environment. • Effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by experiments. A vibration suppression technique for lightweight and flexible membrane structures is proposed using smart structure technology with a dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA). DEA, which is a lightweight flexible polynomial material with a large deformation and high response time, can easily be applied to membrane structures for vibration suppression over a wide frequency range. Herein, active vibration control for membrane structures with DEA is examined. A non-contact excitation system with a high-power Nd:YAG pulsed laser precisely measures the vibration responses of membrane structures. A laminated DEA is fabricated and attached to the membrane surface, generating a highly reproducible ideal impulse excitation. Then a digital control system is constructed with the laser excitation system. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, vibration control experiments are conducted using a controller designed by H ∞ control theory with the identified membrane model in both atmospheric and vacuum environments. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]