demping

Demping is the attenuation of vibrational or acoustic energy in a system, leading to a gradual decrease in amplitude after a disturbance. In physics and engineering, damping converts kinetic energy into other forms, typically heat, sound, or deformation energy, thereby limiting oscillations and reducing noise.

Damping occurs through various mechanisms. Viscous damping arises from fluid resistance; Coulomb (dry) friction converts motion into heat at contact points; material or hysteretic damping involves internal friction within a material; structural damping is related to the way a structure stores and dissipates energy. Systems may employ passive damping elements or active damping where sensors and actuators inject control forces to oppose motion.

Damping is quantified by parameters such as the damping ratio (zeta), the natural frequency (omega_n), and the quality factor (Q). For a mass–spring–damper system, zeta = c / (2 sqrt(k m)). When zeta is less than one, the system is underdamped and exhibits decaying oscillations; Q = 1/(2 zeta) for underdamped cases.

Measurements include impulse or step responses, logarithmic decrement, and frequency response analysis. In practice, damping design aims to balance rapid settling with minimal energy loss, considering weight, cost, and space constraints.

In Dutch usage, demping refers to damping, the attenuation of motion or sound energy, and the term is commonly used in engineering, acoustics, and construction contexts. When translating to English, the standard term is damping.