This textbook is an introduction to the dynamics of active structures and to the feedback control of lightly damped flexible structures; the emphasis is placed on basic issues and simple control strategies that work.

Now in its fourth edition, more chapters have been added, and comments and feedback from readers have been taken into account, while at the same time the unique premise of bridging the gap between structure and control has remained. Many examples, covering a broad field of applications from bridges to satellites and telescopes, and problems bring the subject to life and take the audience from theory to practice.

The book has 19 chapters dealing with some concepts in structural dynamics; electromagnetic and piezoelectric transducers; piezoelectric beam, plate and truss; passive damping with piezoelectric transducers; collocated versus non-collocated control; active damping with collocated systems; vibration isolation; state space approach; analysis and synthesis in the frequency domain; optimal control; controllability and observability; stability; applications; tendon control of cable structures; active control of deformable mirrors for Adaptive Optics and large earth-based and space telescopes; and semi-active control. The book concludes with an exhaustive bibliography and index.

This book is intended for structural engineers who want to acquire some background in vibration control, and for control engineers who are dealing with flexible structures. It can be used as a textbook for a graduate course on vibration control or active structures.

A solutions manual is available through the publisher to teachers using this book as a textbook.

André Preumont received his MSc in Aeronautics from the University of Liege in 1973 and his PhD in Applied Sciences in 1981. He spent 10 years in industry before moving in academia. He has been a professor of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) since 1987, full professor since 1991, and director of the Active Structures Laboratory. He is the author of 7 books. He is a member of the Belgian Royal Academy and was the recipient of the Alexander von Humboldt Research Award in 2011 (Darmstadt, Germany). He was a visiting professor at Virginia Tech (USA), UT Compiègne and INSA Lyon (France), and Politecnico di Milano (Italy). He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. His current researches include Adaptive Optics, Active damping of structures and flapping wing robots.