Active-passive hybrid broadband vibration control based on maple-leaf-inspired biomimetic structures

Broadband vibration control remains a critical challenge in lightweight structural design. This study proposes a bio-inspired integrated approach combining a maple-leaf-inspired laminated structure with active-passive hybrid control to achieve effective vibration suppression across a wide frequency range. Passive vibration attenuation is achieved through the biomimetic core, while piezoelectric elements provide active control for low-frequency disturbances. The dynamic model of the piezoelectric coupled plate structure was established and the influence of different core layer thicknesses on natural frequencies was analyzed. PID and fuzzy PID controllers are then designed to assess the effect of core thickness on both active and passive control performance. Experimental tests conducted on a dedicated platform confirm the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid approach. Results show that the error between theoretical calculation and simulation analysis of the first five natural frequencies is less than 1%. The passive control performs well above 50 Hz, achieving 70.1% vibration reduction and shortening stabilization time by 46%. Meanwhile, active control is effective below 50 Hz, attaining 56% vibration attenuation and reducing settling time by 54%. The proposed approach validates the effectiveness of structurally integrated active–passive control, offering a practical, experimentally validated solution for broadband vibration mitigation in lightweight marine structures through structural–control design.