Stepped Riser Composite Damping for Vibration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stepped riser designs, particularly in sports stadiums, face challenges in minimizing weight to reduce structural costs and vibrations, with concrete risers being heavy and steel risers prone to sound and vibration issues, while also requiring complex and costly supporting structures.
Innovation Solution
A method of manufacturing stepped risers using a sheet of metal with a bonded layer of plastics or polymer material, allowing for bending without pre-welding, and incorporating a member with bent longitudinal edges to adjust dynamic mechanical frequency, enabling lighter, stiffer, and more cost-effective structures with improved vibration control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If concrete is used for riser construction, then vibration control is improved due to high damping coefficient, but weight increases significantly requiring heavier supporting structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by bonding a plastics or polymer layer to a metal sheet, creating a composite riser structure that combines the vibration damping properties of polymers with the structural strength of metal, achieving good vibration control without the excessive weight of concrete
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters by selecting specific plastics or polymer materials with appropriate damping coefficients and bonding them to metal sheets of controlled thickness, thereby adjusting the vibration control and weight characteristics to optimal values
2Weight of moving object
If steel plates are used for riser construction, then weight is reduced compared to concrete, but sound and vibration problems increase due to low damping coefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure with a metal sheet providing structural strength and a plastics or polymer layer providing vibration damping, thereby reducing the metal thickness needed while improving sound and vibration control compared to solid steel construction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the plastics or polymer layer locally on one or both sides of the metal sheet, providing vibration damping precisely where needed without adding excessive weight, rather than using solid steel throughout the entire structure
3Length of stationary object
If steel risers are constructed with intermediate rakers and secondary framework, then span capability is improved, but device complexity and fabrication costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the structural parameters by optimizing the metal sheet thickness and material properties to achieve the required span capability without needing intermediate rakers or secondary frameworks, thereby simplifying the structure while maintaining structural integrity
4Strength
If metal sheet is bent into stepped riser shape before bonding plastics layer, then structural integrity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to pre-welding requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by bonding the plastics or polymer layer to the metal sheet in its flat state before bending, which simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for welding or complex assembly operations that would be required if the metal were shaped first
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing sequence by reversing the traditional approach - instead of shaping metal then adding damping layer, the damping layer is bonded to flat metal and then the composite is bent together, simplifying fabrication while maintaining structural integrity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution results in a lighter, stiffer, and more cost-effective stepped riser with enhanced vibration response, reducing the need for heavy supporting structures and minimizing vibrations, while allowing for flexible design and assembly.
Implementation Method 1
an intermediate layer of plastics or polymer materials bonded to the metal plates so as to transfer shear forces therebetween
Implementation Method 2
To reduce transient and resonant vibrations associated with sporting and entertainment events the risers must be stiff, have sufficient mass, or be constructed with materials having good damping characteristics
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a stepped riser comprising providing a first sheet of metal (10) with a layer (50) of plastics or polymer material bonded to the metal with at least one indentation (45,48) formed in the layer of plastics or polymer material thereby to allow bending of the sheet of metal along pre-determined lines substantially without inducing compression or tension through the thickness of the layer (50) of plastics or polymer material.