Nonlinear vibration control and energy harvesting of a beam using a nonlinear energy sink and a piezoelectric device

•A NES and a piezoelectric device are employed in a system of free–free beam.•A global optimal design to harvest vibration energy dissipated by NES is presented.•Grounded and ungrounded configurations are considered.•Satisfactory amount of energy is harvested in both configurations.•Energy pumping occurs and is optimized efficiently in grounded configuration.

This paper presents an optimal design for a system comprising a nonlinear energy sink (NES) and a piezoelectric-based vibration energy harvester attached to a free–free beam under shock excitation. The energy harvester is used for scavenging vibration energy dissipated by the NES. Grounded and ungrounded configurations are examined and the systems parameters are optimized globally to both maximize the dissipated energy by the NES and increase the harvested energy by piezoelectric element. A satisfactory amount of energy has been harvested as electric power in both configurations. The realization of nonlinear vibration control through one-way irreversible nonlinear energy pumping and optimizing the system parameters result in acquiring up to 78 percent dissipation of the grounded system energy.