As a semi-active control device, magnetorheological (MR) dampers have been paid more attention because of their high controllability, fast response and low power requirement. When MR dampers are used for vibration mitigation, some challenge topics must be taken into account, such as design method, performance study and intelligent control algorithm. In this paper, a detailed design process of MR damper involving the geometry design and magnetic circuit design is carried out, and a multistage shear-valve mode MR damper is designed and manufactured. Then the MR damper is tested to investigate the influence of control current, displacement amplitude and excitation frequency on the damper's mechanical behavior and energy dissipation performance. At the same time, the design target values are compared with experimental results. Comparison results show that the proposed design method holds promise in designing and optimizing the MR damper. Finally, a modified Sigmoid model is proposed. Comparison results between the experimental data and the numerical data indicate that the modified Sigmoid model can accurately describe the behaviors of the MR damper.

As a semiactive control device, magnetorheological dampers have been paid more attention due to their high controllability, fast response, and low power demand. One of the important characteristics for magnetorheological dampers is magnetic saturation, that is, the maximum damping force will reach some value and no longer vary with the increasing input current, especially in the presence of large magnetic flux density. In order to take this problem into account fully, tests on a shear-valve mode magnetorheological damper are carried out to consider the effects of input current, displacement amplitude, and loading frequency on the properties of the magnetorheological damper during magnetic saturation situation first. Then, the magnetic saturation phenomenon of the magnetorheological damper is simulated using the finite element method, and the numerical simulation results are compared with the experimental results. Finally, a magnetic saturation mathematical model is proposed to describe the properties of the magnetorheological damper, and the numerical hysteresis curves of the proposed magnetic saturation mathematical model, the Bingham model, and the Bouc–Wen model are compared with the experimental results. It can be concluded that the magnetic saturation mathematical model can describe the influence of input current, displacement amplitude, and excitation frequency on the properties and the magnetic saturation property of the magnetorheological damper.

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