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Adaptive Control of Flexible Structures deals with vibration control for large-scale flexible structures which are, or may be, subject to a broadband primary vibration field. The authors present a complete rationale for solving problems of vibration, from experimental structural characterization to controller implementation. In reaching this objective they address the following steps:

- experimental identification of the dynamic model of the structure;

- optimal placement of sensors and actuators;

- formulation of control constraints in terms of controller frequency response shape, based on the specification and characteristics of sensors and actuators;

- controller design and simulation; and

- controller implementation and rapid prototyping.

The experimental identification procedure is based on a gray-box approach tailored to the estimation of modal parameters of large-scale flexible structures. The actuator/sensor placement algorithm maximizes a modal controllability index so as to improve the effectiveness of the control action. Taking into account the physical limitations of sensors and actuators, the controller is chosen as a stable, band-pass MIMO system resulting from the closed-form solution of a robust control problem. The closed-form solution is particularly attractive for large-scale control systems, overcoming possible numerical problems caused by ill-conditioned solutions. Experimental results on an aeronautical stiffened skin panel are presented using rapid-prototyping hardware.

Adaptive Control of Flexible Structures will be of interest to academics and practising engineers working on vibration-reduction problems in aerospace and other transportation environments; to civil engineers concerned with seismic vibration in buildings; and to graduate students taking courses in mechanical, aeronautical and control engineering, particularly when involved with smart structures and actuators.