Contact-induced high energy-dissipation array column for vibration suppression of deep sea mining tower

Heave and roll motions of deep-sea mining vessels can induce severe vibrations in onboard tower structures, potentially damaging mining equipment, causing excessive rolling, and even capsizing the vessel. Therefore, the new deep-sea mining jacket structures must be lightweight, high-strength, high damping to ensure low energy consumption, high load-bearing capacity, and enhanced stability. A novel structure combining low weight, high stiffness, and superior energy dissipation has been proposed in this work. Results from experiments, finite element simulations, and theoretical analysis reveal that the energy dissipation capacity of the structure is repeatable, tunable, and programmable. Its stiffness-damping performance surpasses that of natural materials and other elastic instability-based systems that rely on buckling-induced energy absorption. By adjusting the contact interactions between columns, the repeatable elastic buckling behavior can be precisely controlled, enabling effective tuning and programming of both support stiffness and energy dissipation capability, thus achieving an optimized balance between rigidity and damping. To explore practical engineering applications, the vibration attenuation behavior of a 3D tower-type structure equipped with the proposed damper was analyzed using ABAQUS. The simulation suggest that the damper holds promise as a dual-function solution, offering both high rigidity and substantial damping.