Semi-Active Control Systems in Bridge Engineering: A Review of the Current State of Practice

In view of the grave socioeconomic consequences of earthquake damage to bridge structures, along with their critical role in modern and older road and rail networks, this article attempts to identify and summarise the current trends in the use of semi-active control technology in bridge engineering, as an enhanced seismic response control solution, combining increased adaptability and reliability, compared to passive and active schemes. In this context, representative analytical and experimental studies, as well as some full-scale applications of semi-active control devices are first reviewed and a brief description of relevant benchmark studies is subsequently presented, with a view to serving as a point of reference for further research and development. A framework of performance-based control principles aiming at the aforementioned objectives is finally set forth

Semi-active control of base-isolated structures using a new inverse model of MR dampers

Magnetorheological (MR) dampers have received special attention as semi-active devices for mitigation of structural vibrations. Because of the inherent nonlinearity of these devices, it is difcult to obtain a reasonable mathematical inverse model. This paper is concerned with two related concepts. On one hand, it presents a new inverse model of MR dampers based on the normalized Bouc-Wen model. On the other hand, it considers a hybrid seismic control system for building structures, which combines a class of passive nonlinear base isolator with a semi-active control system. In this application, the MR damper is used as a semi-active device in which the voltage is updated by a feedback control loop.The management of MR dampers is performed in a hierarchical way according to the desired control force, the actual force of the dampers and its capacity to react. The control is applied to a numerical three-dimensional benchmark problem which is used by the structural control community as a state-of-the-art model for numerical experiments of seismic control attenuation. The performance indices show that the proposed semi-active controller behaves satisfactorily.Postprint (published version

Vibration control in buildings under seismic excitation using optimized tuned mass dampers

Earthquakes can cause vibration problems in many types of structures, generating large displacements. The interstory drift is a design criterion very used in seismic analysis and the structural control is an alternative to reduce these displacements and improve the performance of these structures adapting them to the imposed criteria. TMD is a device widely used due to the simple principle of operation and many successful applications in real life practice. This paper investigates the use of optimized TMD for reduction of maximum horizontal displacement at the top floor and interstory drift of a steel building under seismic excitation considering three scenarios: single TMD at the top floor; MTMD horizontally arranged at the top floor; and MTMD vertically arranged on the structure. By a metaheuristic optimization algorithm, the parameters and positions of the devices are obtained. Three real and one artificial earthquakes are employed in the simulations. The results showed that all proposed scenarios are efficient in reducing top floor response and interstory drift to values below of the interstory drift limits allowed by the standard code consulted. However, Scenario 2 presented the best reduction for the top displacement and interstory drift to the critical floor for the worst earthquake considered

NDM-522: DECENTRALIZED SEMI-ACTIVE CONTROL FOR MULTI-PERFORMANCE-BASED DESIGN

Traditional performance-based design (PBD) that has a single performance level has been widely researched by changing section sizes of structural members or material properties to resist single hazard levels. However, this approach has limitations in terms of achieving performance and alternative design options for the owner. To overcome these limitations of the traditional PBD method, a multi-performance-based control design (MPBCD) methodology is newly proposed. The MPBCD integrates a decentralized semi-active control algorithm with semi-active smart damping devices and an advanced multi-objective optimization method. The multi-objective optimization is used to achieve various sets of performance-based control designs. The control designs satisfy multiple performance levels under multiple hazard levels without changing cross-section sizes or material properties of structural members. This MPBCD provides multiple sets of control designs (i.e., control device layouts with control design variables) to minimize design costs and maximize control effectiveness. The multiple sets of designs offer optimal performance-based control design covering a broad range of hazard levels with various performance levels. This numerical study uses an advanced decentralized semi-active controller and large-scale 200-kN magnetorheological (MR) dampers installed in a nine-story moment-resisting frame (MRF) building. From the multi-objective optimization technique, multiple layouts of control devices and controller parameters for multiple performance levels under multiple hazard levels are investigated

Vibration control in buildings under seismic excitation using optimized tuned mass dampers

Earthquakes can cause vibration problems in many types of structures, generating large displacements. The interstory drift is a design criterion very used in seismic analysis and the structural control is an alternative to reduce these displacements and improve the performance of these structures adapting them to the imposed criteria. TMD is a device widely used due to the simple principle of operation and many successful applications in real life practice. This paper investigates the use of optimized TMD for reduction of maximum horizontal displacement at the top floor and interstory drift of a steel building under seismic excitation considering three scenarios: single TMD at the top floor; MTMD horizontally arranged at the top floor; and MTMD vertically arranged on the structure. By a metaheuristic optimization algorithm, the parameters and positions of the devices are obtained. Three real and one artificial earthquakes are employed in the simulations. The results showed that all proposed scenarios are efficient in reducing top floor response and interstory drift to values below of the interstory drift limits allowed by the standard code consulted. However, Scenario 2 presented the best reduction for the top displacement and interstory drift to the critical floor for the worst earthquake considered

A Simplified Matrix Analysis Approach to Multi-story Buildings Involving a Friction Damper

Damping through friction tends to be one of the most efficient methods to suppress damage to structures from earthquakes. Realizing robust structures is therefore highly dependent on designing for the dynamic forces of friction-damped structures and exploring their reliability against natural disasters. This paper presents a simplified matrix analysis algorithm for multi-story friction- damped buildings. The behavior of friction-damped systems has analyzed more accurately by modeling the master-slave degree of freedom of the joints. First, the formulation of the problem is discussed, and a condensed general equation is derived. Then, an end-to-end solution is proposed to find the responses of structures. The displacement response of each story has been carried out in both condensed and non-condensed general equations, and the results clearly show the accuracy of the proposed method. The numerical analysis and the results of the simulation of various friction-damped structures depicts the proposed approach consists with the commercial finite element method and is applicable for the analysis various types of structures. It is noted that the acceleration and displacement responses of the structures investigated under the proposed method and the traditional finite element method are so consistent that only a 1.5% difference is observed. Moreover, as a result of the proper allocation of degrees of freedom during the analysis, this method yields a reduction in computational costs especially in large buildings

Invited Review: Recent developments in vibration control of building and bridge structures

This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of recent articles published on active, passive, semi-active and hybrid vibration control systems for structures under dynamic loadings primarily since 2013. Active control systems include active mass dampers, active tuned mass dampers, distributed mass dampers, and active tendon control. Passive systems include tuned mass dampers (TMD), particle TMD, tuned liquid particle damper, tuned liquid column damper (TLCD), eddy-current TMD, tuned mass generator, tuned-inerter dampers, magnetic negative stiffness device, resetting passive stiffness damper, re-entering shape memory alloy damper, viscous wall dampers, viscoelastic dampers, and friction dampers. Semi-active systems include tuned liquid damper with floating roof, resettable variable stiffness TMD, variable friction dampers, semi-active TMD, magnetorheological dampers, leverage-type stiffness controllable mass damper, semi-active friction tendon. Hybrid systems include shape memory alloys-liquid column damper, shape memory alloy-based damper, and TMD-high damping rubber

Experimental investigation on semi-active control of base isolation system using magnetorheological dampers for concrete frame structure

The traditional passive base isolation is the most widely used method in the engineering practice for structural control, however, it has the shortcoming that the optimal control frequency band is significantly limited and narrow. For the seismic isolation system designed specifically for large earthquakes, the structural acceleration response may be enlarged under small earthquakes. If the design requirements under small earthquakes are satisfied, the deformation in the isolation layer may become too large to be accepted. Occasionally, it may be destroyed under large earthquakes. In the isolation control system combined with rubber bearing and magnetorheological (MR) damper, the MR damper can provide instantaneous variable damping force to effectively control the structural response at different input magnitudes. In this paper, the control effect of semi-active control and quasi-passive control for the isolation control system is verified by the shaking table test. In regard to semi-active control, the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) classical linear optimal control algorithm by continuous control and switch control strategies are used to control the structural vibration response. Numerical simulation analysis and shaking table test results indicate that isolation control system can effectively overcome the shortcoming due to narrow optimum control band of the passive isolation system, and thus to provide optimal control for different seismic excitations in a wider frequency range. It shows that, even under super large earthquakes, the structure still exhibits the ability to maintain overall stability performance

Development of magnetorheological elastomers-based tuned mass damper for building protection from seismic events

This study investigated and evaluated a semi-active tuned mass damper which incorporated four multi-layered structures fabricated using magnetorheological elastomers. The four magnetorheological elastomer structures formed a square and provided the tuned mass damper variable stiffness used to track the excitation frequencies. This design not only increases the stability of the tuned mass damper but more importantly eliminates the magnetic circuit gap in a design which we used in the past because all four of the magnetic circuits used to control the magnetorheological elastomer isolators are closed circuits. In order to verify the capability of the magnetorheological elastomer-based tuned mass damper to protect a building from earthquake, extensive simulation and experimental testing were conducted. The swept sinusoidal signal and the scaled 1940 El Centro earthquake record were used to excite a scaled three-story building. Both simulation and experiment have verified that the magnetorheological elastomer-based tuned mass damper outperformed all other passive tuned mass dampers under either swept sinusoidal or seismic conditions

Optimization of force-limiting seismic devices connecting structural subsystems

This paper is focused on the optimum design of an original force-limiting floor anchorage system for the seismic protection of reinforced concrete (RC) dual wall-frame buildings. This protection strategy is based on the interposition of elasto-plastic links between two structural subsystems, namely the lateral force resisting system (LFRS) and the gravity load resisting system (GLRS). The most efficient configuration accounting for the optimal position and mechanical characteristics of the nonlinear devices is obtained numerically by means of a modified constrained differential evolution algorithm. A 12-storey prototype RC dual wall-frame building is considered to demonstrate the effectiveness of the seismic protection strategy