1523 Study on development of flexible liquid damper

A new type of damper called "flexible liquid damper" is being developed. This damper is composed of a flexible ball partially filled with liquid. The important feature of this damper is the surface of the ball moves with the motion of the attached structure followed by the motion of the fluid inside the ball. This fluid-motion gives much energy dissipating effect, which results to a big damping ratio. In this paper, the basic trend of the damper is introduced by shaking tests, both by a pricking and by a shaker test. To compare with the dynamic damper, an analytical explanation is tried, but it is not enough to express the damping value of this damper only with the mechanism of the dynamic damper. It is supposed to have another effect by the fluid motion.