A Modified Fractional-Order Derivative Zener Model for Rubber-Like Devices for Structural Control

Fractional-order derivative (FD) models are widely used to describe the dynamic behavior of rubber-like materials. However, experiments have shown that FD models cannot reproduce the amplitude dependence and the slow stabilization phenomenon under harmonic excitation. To overcome these limitations, we introduce a modified FD Zener (MFDZ) model that incorporates a new parameter, average strain. The MFDZ model is shown to have good agreement with experimental data. Two illustrative examples are conducted to demonstrate the use of the MDFZ model for structural control. The results show that the MFDZ model can better describe rubber-like materials' behavior and versatility when used in the dynamic analysis of structural systems. (C) 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.