• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.69-79
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• 2009

A non-clipped semi-active stochastic optimal control strategy for nonlinear structural systems with MR dampers is developed based on the stochastic averaging method and stochastic dynamical programming principle. A nonlinear stochastic control structure is first modeled as a semi-actively controlled, stochastically excited and dissipated Hamiltonian system. The control force of an MR damper is separated into passive and semi-active parts. The passive control force components, coupled in structural mode space, are incorporated in the drift coefficients by directly using the stochastic averaging method. Then the stochastic dynamical programming principle is applied to establish a dynamical programming equation, from which the semi-active optimal control law is determined and implementable by MR dampers without clipping in terms of the Bingham model. Under the condition on the control performance function given in section 3, the expressions of nonlinear and linear non-clipped semi-active optimal control force components are obtained as well as the non-clipped semi-active LQG control force, and thus the value function and semi-active nonlinear optimal control force are actually existent according to the developed strategy. An example of the controlled stochastic hysteretic column is given to illustrate the application and effectiveness of the developed semi-active optimal control strategy.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.2 no.6
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• pp.117-126
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• 1994

This paper deals with a robust semi-active control algorithm which is applicable to a semi-active suspension with a multi-state damper. Since the controllable damping rates are discrete in case of a multi-state semi-active damper, the desired damping rate can not be produced exactly even if force-velocity relations of a multi-state semi-active damper is completely known. In addition, damping characteristics of the semi-active dampers are different from damper to damper. A robust nonlinear control law based on sliding control is developed. The main objective of the proposed control strategies is to improve ride quality by tracking the desired active force with a multi-state damper of which the force-velocity relations are "not" completely known. The performance of th proposed semi-active control law is numerically compared to those of the control law based on a bilinear model and a passive suspension. The proposed control algorithm is robust to nonlinear characteristics and uncertainty of the force-Velocity relations of multi-state dampers.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.387-394
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• 2003

A compromise between passive and active control systems has been developed recently in the form of semi-active control systems. Semi-active control systems maintain the reliability of passive control systems while taking advantage of the adjustability of an active control system. This paper presents the results of an experimental study to evaluate the performance of a semi-active orificed fluid damper. The semi-active orificed fluid damper considered is a two-stage damper with normally open solenoid valve. Through a series of experimental tests, characteristics and performance of the damper is investigated.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.831-846
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• 2015

Magneto-Rheological (MR) dampers are being used increasingly because of their adaptability to control algorithms and reliability of passive systems. In this paper, an extensive investigation on performance of MR dampers in semi-active and passive modes has been carried out. It is observed that the overall energy dissipation by MR dampers in passive-on modes is higher than that in semi-active modes for most of the competitive semi-active controllers. Based on the energy dissipation pattern, a novel semi-active controller, termed as "Simple Passive Semi-Active Controller", has been proposed for MR dampers. This controller can be emulated by a simple passive hardware proposed in this paper. The proposed concept of controller "hardware emulation" is innovative and can also be implemented for other semi-active devices for control algorithms of certain form. The effectiveness and reliability of the proposed controller has been investigated extensively through numerical simulations. It has been demonstrated that the proposed controller is competitive to or more effective than other widely used / investigated semi-active controllers.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.181-195
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• 2010

Coupled building control is a viable method to protect tall buildings from seismic excitation. In this study, the semi-active control of a building complex is investigated for mitigating seismic responses. The building complex is formed of one main building and one podium structure connected through Magneto-Rheological (MR) Dampers and Tuned Mass Damper. The conventional semi-active control techniques require a primary controller as a reference to determine the desired control force, and modulate the input voltage of the MR damper by comparing the desired control force. The fuzzy logic directly determines the input voltage of an MR damper from the response of the MR damper. The control performance of the proposed fuzzy control technique for the MR damper is evaluated for the control problem of a seismically-excited building complex. In this paper, a building complex that include a 14-story main building and an 8-story podium structure is applied as a numerical example to demonstrate the effectiveness of semi-active control with Magneto-Rheological dampers and its comparison with the passive control with the Tuned Mass Damper and two uncoupled buildings and hybrid semi-active control including the Tuned Mass Damper and Magneto-Rheological dampers while they are subject to the earthquake excitation. The numerical results show that semi-active control and hybrid semi-active control can significantly mitigate the seismic responses of both buildings, such as displacement and shear force responses, and fuzzy control technique can effectively mitigate the seismic response of the building complex.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.389-395
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• 2018

This paper presents the application of a semi-active fuzzy based control system for seismic response reduction of a single degree-of-freedom (SDOF) framed structure using a Magnetorheological (MR) damper. Semi-active vibration control with MR dampers has been shown to be a viable approach to protect building structures from earthquake excitation. Moreover, intelligent damping systems based on soft-computing techniques such as fuzzy logic models have the inherent robustness to deal with typical uncertainties and non-linearities present in civil engineering structures. Thus, the proposed semi-active control system uses fuzzy logic based models to simulate the behavior of MR damper and also to develop the control algorithm that computes the required control signal to command the actuator. The results of the numerical simulations show the effectiveness of the suggested semi-active control system in reducing the response of the SDOF structure.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.807-833
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• 2015

While tuned mass dampers are found to be effective in suppressing vibration in a tall building, integrating it with a semi-active control system enables it to perform more efficiently. In this paper a forty-story tall steel-frame building designed according to the Canadian standard, has been studied with and without semi-active and passive tuned mass dampers. The building is assumed to be located in the Vancouver, Canada. A magneto-rheological fluid based semi-active tuned mass damper has been optimally designed to suppress the vibration of the structure against seismic excitation, and an appropriate control procedure has been implemented to optimize the building's semi-active tuned mass system to reduce the seismic response. Furthermore, the control system parameters have been adjusted to yield the maximum reduction in the structural displacements at different floor levels. The response of the structure has been studied with a variety of ground motions with low, medium and high frequency contents to investigate the performance of the semi-active tuned mass damper in comparison to that of a passive tuned mass damper. It has been shown that the semi-active control system modifies structural response more effectively than the classic passive tuned mass damper in both mitigation of maximum displacement and reduction of the settling time of the building.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.98-106
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• 1998

In this study a control law and performance potential of semi-active suspensions for a tractor/semi-trailer have been investigated. The control law for airbag semi-active suspensions modeled in this study is developed using feedback linearization and Linear Quadratic (LQ) optimal control method. Inherent nonlinearity of the airbag suspensions has been considered in the control law development. It has been shown that the proposed semi-active control law provides better performance than that of well known sky-hook damping control strategy.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.493-515
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• 2008

Semi-active control systems have attracted a great deal of attention in recent years because these systems can operate on battery power alone, proving advantageous during seismic events when the main power source of the structure may likely fail. The behavior of semi-active devices is often highly non-linear and requires suitable and efficient control algorithm. This paper presents the comparative study and performance of variable semi-active friction dampers by using recently proposed predictive control law with direct output feedback. In this control law, the variable slip force of semi-active variable friction damper is kept slightly lower than the critical friction force, which allows the damper to remain in the slip state during an earthquake, resulting in improved energy dissipation capability. This control algorithm is able to produce a continuous and smooth slip forces for a variable friction damper. The numerical examples include a structure controlled with multiple variable semi-active friction dampers and with multiple passive friction dampers. A parameter, gain multiplier defined as the ratio of damper force to critical damper control force, is investigated under four different real earthquake ground motions, which plays an important role in the present control algorithm of the damper. The numerically evaluated optimum parametric value is considered for the analysis of the structure with dampers. The numerical results of the variable friction dampers show better performance over the passive dampers in reducing the seismic response of structures.

• Transactions of The Korea Fluid Power Systems Society
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.32-38
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• 2010

A semi-active suspension is an automotive technology that controls the vertical movement of the vehicle while the car is driving. The system therefore virtually eliminates body roll and pitch variation in many driving situations including cornering, accelerating, and braking. This technology allows car manufacturers to achieve a higher degree of both ride quality and car handling by keeping the tires perpendicular to the road in corners, allowing for much higher levels of grip and control. An onboard computer detects body movement from sensors located throughout the vehicle and, using data calculated by opportune control techniques, controls the action of the suspension. Semi-active systems can change the viscous damping coefficient of the shock absorber, and do not add energy to the suspension system. Though limited in their intervention (for example, the control force can never have different direction than that of the current speed of the suspension), semi-active suspensions are less expensive to design and consume far less energy. In recent time, the research in semi-active suspensions has continued to advance with respect to their capabilities, narrowing the gap between semi-active and fully active suspension systems. In this paper we are studied the characteristics of vehicle movement during the field test with conventional and semi-active suspension system.