The Challenge of Adaptive Structures

Kurzfassung

Future lightweight design in space structure technology has to pay more attention to vibration suppression, to position control, or, more generally, to structure-inherent adaptability. These properties are often called "intelligent" or "smart", ignoring the fact that only creatures can have mental abilities. Having adaptation mechanisms for every dynamic process, living nature indeed teaches us that it is inexpedient if technical structural systems dispense with adaptability. Vibration and stability phenomena are making performance restrictions in space systems more and more evident. The DLR project ARES (Actively Reacting Flexible Structures) intends to overcome these limitations by developing a new class of technical systems. The ARES concept essentially consists of two new technologies: new kinds of integrated sensors and actuators working as components lying in the structural load path, and adaptive controllers constisting of digital filters which are adaptive in that they react against changing environmental influences as well as changes within the structure itself.