• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.261-274
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• 2021

In a railway bridge, the CRTS II slab ballastless track is subjected to interlayer connection failures, such as void under slab, mortar debonding, and fastener fracture. This study investigates the influences of interlayer connection failure on the safe operation of high-speed trains. First, a train-track-bridge coupled vibration model and a bridge-track deformation model are established to study the running safety of a train passing a deformed bridge with interlayer connection failure. For each type of the interlayer connection failure, the effects of the failure locations and ranges on the track irregularity are studied using the deformation model. Under additional bridge deformation, the effects of interlayer connection failure on the dynamic responses of the train are investigated by using the track irregularity as the excitation to the vibration model. Finally, parametric studies are conducted to determine the thresholds of additional bridge deformations considering interlayer connection failure. Results show that the interlayer connection failure significantly affects the running safety of high-speed train and must be considered in determining the safety thresholds of additional bridge deformation in the asset management of high-speed railway bridges.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 2021

Control performance of a smart tuned mass damper (TMD) mainly depends on control algorithms. A lot of control strategies have been proposed for semi-active control devices. Recently, machine learning begins to be applied to development of vibration control algorithm. In this study, a reinforcement learning among machine learning techniques was employed to develop a semi-active control algorithm for a smart TMD. The smart TMD was composed of magnetorheological damper in this study. For this purpose, an 11-story building structure with a smart TMD was selected to construct a reinforcement learning environment. A time history analysis of the example structure subject to earthquake excitation was conducted in the reinforcement learning procedure. Deep Q-network (DQN) among various reinforcement learning algorithms was used to make a learning agent. The command voltage sent to the MR damper is determined by the action produced by the DQN. Parametric studies on hyper-parameters of DQN were performed by numerical simulations. After appropriate training iteration of the DQN model with proper hyper-parameters, the DQN model for control of seismic responses of the example structure with smart TMD was developed. The developed DQN model can effectively control smart TMD to reduce seismic responses of the example structure.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.80 no.6
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• pp.727-736
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• 2021

In this work, mathematical modeling of the passive vibration controls of a three-layered sandwich beam under hard excitation is developed. Kelvin-Voigt Viscoelastic model is considered in the core. The formulation is based on the higher-order zig-zag theories where the normal and shear deformations are taken into account only in the viscoelastic core. The dynamic behaviour of the beam is represented by a complex highly nonlinear ordinary differential equation. The method of multiple scales is adopted to solve the analytical frequency-amplitude relationships in the super-harmonic resonance case. Parametric studies are carried out by using HSDT and first-order deformation theory by considering different geometric and material parameters.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.691-706
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• 2021

This paper aims to numerically investigate violent sloshing in a partially filled three-dimensional (3D) prismatic tank with or without a baffle, further to clarify the suppressing performance of the baffle and the damping mechanism of sloshing. The numerical model is based on a Cartesian grid multiphase flow method, and it is well validated by nonlinear sloshing in a 3D rectangular tank with a vertical baffle. Then, sloshing in an unbaffled and baffled prismatic tank is parametrically studied. The effects of chamfered walls on the resonance frequency and the impact pressure are analyzed. The resonance frequencies for the baffled prismatic tank under different water depths and baffle heights are identified. Moreover, we investigated the effects of the baffle on the impact pressure and the free surface elevation. Further, the free surface elevation, pressure and vortex contours are analyzed to clarify the damping mechanism between the baffle and the fluid.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2022

Simplified analytical solutions are developed for the dynamic analyses of an axially loaded pile foundation embedded in a transverse-isotropic, fluid-filled, poro-visco-elastic soil with rigid substratum. The pile is modeled as a viscoelastic Rayleigh-Love rod, while the surrounding soil is regarded as a transversely isotropic, liquid-saturated, viscoelastic, porous medium of which the mechanical behavior is represented by the Boer's poroelastic media model and the fractional derivative model. Upon the separation of variables, the frequency-domain responses for the impedance function of the pile top, and the vertical displacement and the axial force along the pile shaft are gained. Then by virtue of the convolution theorem and the inverse Fourier transform, the time-domain velocity response of the pile head is derived. The presented solutions are validated, compared to the existing solution, the finite element model (FEM) results, and the field test data. Parametric analyses are made to show the effect of the soil anisotropy and the excitation frequency on the pile-soil dynamic responses.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.437-454
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• 2023

Real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS), which has the advantages of a substructure pseudo-dynamic test, is widely used to investigate the rate-dependent mechanical response of structures under earthquake excitation. However, time delay in RTHS can cause inaccurate results and experimental instabilities. Thus, this study proposes a model-based adaptive control strategy using a Kalman filter (KF) to minimize the time delay and improve RTHS stability and accuracy. In this method, the adaptive control strategy consists of three parts-a feedforward controller based on the discrete inverse model of a servohydraulic actuator and physical specimen, a parameter estimator using the KF, and a feedback controller. The KF with the feedforward controller can significantly reduce the variable time delay due to its fast convergence and high sensitivity to the error between the desired displacement and the measured one. The feedback control can remedy the residual time delay and minimize the method's dependence on the inverse model, thereby improving the robustness of the proposed control method. The tracking performance and parametric studies are conducted using the benchmark problem in RTHS. The results reveal that better tracking performance can be obtained, and the KF's initial settings have limited influence on the proposed strategy. Virtual RTHSs are conducted with linear and nonlinear physical substructures, respectively, and the results indicate brilliant tracking performance and superb robustness of the proposed method.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.455-467
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• 2023

Impact damper is a passive damping system that controls undesirable vibration with mass block impacting with stops fixed to the excited structure, introducing momentum exchange and energy dissipation. However, harmful momentum exchange may occur in the random excitation increasing structural response. Based on the mechanism of impact damping system, a semi-active impact damper (SAID) with controllable impact timing as well as a semi-active control strategy is proposed to enhance the seismic performance of engineering structures in this paper. Comparative experimental studies were conducted to investigate the damping performances of the passive impact damper and SAID. The extreme working conditions for SAID were also discussed and approaches to enhance the damping effect under high-intensity excitations were proposed. A numerical simulation model of SAID attached to a frame structure was established to further explore the damping mechanism. The experimental and numerical results show that the SAID has better control effect than the traditional passive impact damper and can effectively broaden the damping frequency band. The parametric studies illustrate the mass ratio and impact damping ratio of SAID can significantly influence the vibration control effect by affecting the impact force.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.463-475
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• 2024

The study aims to investigate the pounding that occurs between the isolator's ring and slider of isolated structures resulting from excessive seismic excitation, while considering soil-structure interaction. The dynamic responses and poundings of structures subjected a series seismic records were comparatively analyzed for three different soil types and fixed-base structures. A series of parametric studies were conducted to thoroughly discuss the effects of the impact displacement ratio, the FPB friction coefficient ratio, and the radius ratio on the structural dynamic response when considering impact and SSI. It was found that the pounding is extremely brief, with an exceptionally large pounding force generated by impact, resulting in significant acceleration pulse. The acceleration and inter-story shear force of the structure experiencing pounding were greater than those without considering pounding. Sudden changes in the inter-story shear force between the first and second floors of the structure were also observed. The dynamic response of structures in soft ground was significantly lower than that of structures in other ground conditions under the same conditions, regardless of the earthquake wave exciting the structure. When the structure is influenced by pulse-type earthquake records, its dynamic response exhibits a trend of first intensifying and then weakening as the equivalent radius ratio and friction coefficient ratio increase. However, it increases with an increase in the pounding displacement ratio, equivalent radius ratio, friction coefficient ratio, and displacement ratio when the structures are subjected to non-pulse-type seismic record.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.397-428
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• 2013

This paper examines whether the "effective period" of bilinear isolation systems, as defined invariably in most current design codes, expresses in reality the period of vibration that appears in the horizontal axis of the design response spectrum. Starting with the free vibration response, the study proceeds with a comprehensive parametric analysis of the forced vibration response of a wide collection of bilinear isolation systems subjected to pulse and seismic excitations. The study employs Fourier and Wavelet analysis together with a powerful time domain identification method for linear systems known as the Prediction Error Method. When the response history of the bilinear system exhibits a coherent oscillatory trace with a narrow frequency band as in the case of free vibration or forced vibration response from most pulselike excitations, the paper shows that the "effective period" = $T_{eff}$ of the bilinear isolation system is a dependable estimate of its vibration period; nevertheless, the period associated with the second slope of the bilinear system = $T_2$ is an even better approximation regardless the value of the dimensionless strength,$Q/(K_2u_y)=1/{\alpha}-1$, of the system. As the frequency content of the excitation widens and the intensity of the acceleration response history fluctuates more randomly, the paper reveals that the computed vibration period of the systems exhibits appreciably scattering from the computed mean value. This suggests that for several earthquake excitations the mild nonlinearities of the bilinear isolation system dominate the response and the expectation of the design codes to identify a "linear" vibration period has a marginal engineering merit.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.271-296
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• 2006

The frequency of a traditional tuned liquid column damper (TLCD) depends solely on the length of liquid column, which imposes certain restrictions on its application to long span cable-stayed bridges during construction. The configuration of a cable-stayed bridge varies from different construction stages and so do its natural frequencies. It is thus difficult to apply TLCD with a fixed configuration to the bridge during construction or it is not economical to design a series of TLCD with different liquid lengths to suit for various construction stages. Semi-active tuned liquid column damper (SATLCD) with adaptive frequency tuning capacity is studied in this paper for buffeting response control of a long span cable-stayed bridge during construction. The frequency of SATLCD can be adjusted by active control of air pressures inside the air chamber at the two ends of the container. The performance of SATLCD for suppressing combined lateral and torsional vibration of a real long span cable-stayed bridge during construction stage is numerically investigated using a finite element-based approach. The finite element model of SATLCD is also developed and incorporated into the finite element model of the bridge for predicting buffeting response of the coupled SATLCD-bridge system in the time domain. The investigations show that with a fixed container configuration, the SATLCD with adaptive frequency tuning can effectively reduce buffeting response of the bridge during various construction stages.