Purpose <p>This study addresses the severe vibration in multi-span shaft systems during acceleration beyond critical speeds, which limits overall performance. It investigates the effectiveness of a smart spring support for vibration suppression and establishes a corresponding dynamic model.</p> Methods <p>First, a simulation model of the smart spring support was established based on its working principle, considering different combination states of its basic and supplementary supports. The correlation between its dynamic stiffness, damping coefficient, and main influencing factors was analyzed, leading to the development of corresponding response surface models. Subsequently, a dynamic model of the multi-span shaft system integrated with the smart spring support was built using the finite element method to reveal the vibration-damping mechanism under different support states. Finally, experimental tests were conducted to study the system's vibration characteristics.</p> Results <p>The correlation between the dynamic stiffness, damping coefficient of the smart spring support and their key influencing factors was determined, and their response surface models were successfully constructed. The vibration-damping mechanism of the system under various support combinations was elucidated. Experimental results confirmed that the established dynamic model accurately reflects the actual vibration behavior of the system.</p> Conclusion <p>The smart spring support effectively suppresses vibration in multi-span shaft systems and enhances their operational performance when crossing critical speeds. The proposed dynamic modeling method is accurate and reliable, providing an effective tool for the analysis and design of vibration control in such systems.</p>