• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.27-39
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• 2024

The effectiveness of conventional tuned liquid dampers (TLDs) in controlling the wind-induced response of tall flexible structures has been indicated. However, the impaired control effect in the detuning condition or a considerably high mass cost of liquid may be incurred in ensuring the high-level serviceability. To provide an efficient TLD-based solution for wind-induced vibration control, this study proposes a serviceability-oriented optimal design method for isolated TLDs (ILDs) and derives analytical design formulae. The ILD is implemented by mounting the TLD on the linear isolators. Stochastic response analysis is performed for the ILD-equipped structure subjected to stochastic wind and white noise, and the results are considered to derive the closed-form responses. Correspondingly, an extensive parametric analysis is conducted to clarify a serviceability-oriented optimal design framework by incorporating the comfort demand. The obtained results show that the high-level serviceability demand can be satisfied by the ILD based on the proposed optimal design framework. Analytical design formulae can be preliminarily adopted to ensure the target serviceability demand while enhancing the structural displacement performance to increase the safety level. Compared with conventional TLD systems, the ILD exhibits higher effectiveness and a larger frequency bandwidth for wind-induced vibration control at a small mass ratio.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.143-152
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• 2020

The wind design of buildings is typically based on strength provisions under ultimate loads. This is unlike the ductility-based approach used in seismic design, which allows inelastic actions to take place in the structure under extreme seismic events. This research investigates the application of a similar concept in wind engineering. In seismic design, the elastic forces resulting from an extreme event of high return period are reduced by a load reduction factor chosen by the designer and accordingly a certain ductility capacity needs to be achieved by the structure. Two reasons have triggered the investigation of this ductility-based concept under wind loads. Firstly, there is a trend in the design codes to increase the return period used in wind design approaching the large return period used in seismic design. Secondly, the structure always possesses a certain level of ductility that the wind design does not benefit from. Many technical issues arise when applying a ductility-based approach under wind loads. The use of reduced design loads will lead to the design of a more flexible structure with larger natural periods. While this might be beneficial for seismic response, it is not necessarily the case for the wind response, where increasing the flexibility is expected to increase the fluctuating response. This particular issue is examined by considering a case study of a sixty-five-story high-rise building previously tested at the Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel Laboratory at the University of Western Ontario using a pressure model. A three-dimensional finite element model is developed for the building. The wind pressures from the tested rigid model are applied to the finite element model and a time history dynamic analysis is conducted. The time history variation of the straining actions on various structure elements of the building are evaluated and decomposed into mean, background and fluctuating components. A reduction factor is applied to the fluctuating components and a modified time history response of the straining actions is calculated. The building components are redesigned under this set of reduced straining actions and its fundamental period is then evaluated. A new set of loads is calculated based on the modified period and is compared to the set of loads associated with the original structure. This is followed by non-linear static pushover analysis conducted individually on each shear wall module after redesigning these walls. The ductility demand of shear walls with reduced cross sections is assessed to justify the application of the load reduction factor "R".

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2012

Occupant footfalls are often the most critical source of floor vibration on upper floors of buildings. Floor motions can degrade the performance of imaging equipment, disrupt sensitive research equipment, and cause discomfort for the occupants. It is essential that low-vibration environments be provided for functionality of sensitive spaces on floors above grade. This requires a sufficiently stiff and massive floor structure that effectively resists the forces exerted from user traffic. Over the past 25 years, generic vibration limits have been developed, which provide frequency dependent sensitivities for wide classes of equipment, and are used extensively in lab design for healthcare and research facilities. The same basis for these curves can be used to quantify acceptable limits of vibration for human comfort, depending on the intended occupancy of the space. When available, manufacturer's vibration criteria for sensitive equipment are expressed in units of acceleration, velocity or displacement and can be specified as zero-to-peak, peak-to-peak, or root-mean-square (rms) with varying frequency ranges and resolutions. Several approaches to prediction of floor vibrations are currently applied in practice. Each method is traceable to fundamental structural dynamics, differing only in the level of complexity assumed for the system response, and the required information for use as model inputs. Three commonly used models are described, as well as key features they possess that make them attractive to use for various applications. A case study is presented of a tall building which has fitness areas on two of the upper floors. The analysis predicted that the motions experienced would be within the given criteria, but showed that if the floor had been more flexible, the potential exists for a locked-in resonance response which could have been felt over large portions of the building.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.95-104
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• 2020

Recently, robotic technologies have significantly improved, bringing considerable enhancements in many sectors; the main objective of this paper is to figure out if these innovations have also involved the building industry. To achieve this purpose, it has been considered crucial to first reshape and clarify some concepts, incorporating a much more flexible understanding of the term "robot", as well as the formulation of its future potential. Subsequently, it has been carried out an analysis of the various advanced devices that are currently available to be employed in the construction processes; the review includes a thorough classification of construction robots, divided into 18 families reflecting their purpose of use, and a dissection based on the term used to define them. The attention has been focused on the most updated and recent robots and, in their absence, on the most advanced machines prevailing. This operation has been achieved taking into account the development history of construction robots, as well as the analyses and classifications previously conducted, reconsidering them according to the just mentioned reflections. Furthermore, an in-depth exploration of the exoskeletons, as well as on a sophisticated robot recently developed by Schindler Group has been executed.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.727-741
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• 2018

To mitigate vibrations, tuned mass dampers(TMD) are widely used for long span bridges or high-rise buildings. Due to some durability concerns, such as fluid degradation, oil leakage, etc., the alternative solutions, such as the non-contacted eddy current damping (ECD), are proposed for mechanical devices in small scales. In the present study, a new eddy current damping TMD (ECD-TMD) is proposed and developed for large scale civil infrastructure applications. Starting from parametric study on finite element analysis of the ECD-TMD, the new design is enhanced via using the permanent magnets to eliminate the power need and a combination of a copper plate and a steel plate to improve the energy dissipation efficiency. Additional special design includes installation of two permanent magnets at the same side above the copper plate to easily adjust the gap as well as the damping. In a case study, the proposed ECD-TMD is demonstrated in the application of a steel arch bridge to mitigate the wind-induced vibrations of the flexible hangers. After a brief introduction of the configuration and the installation process for the damper, the mitigation effects are measured for the ambient vibration and forced vibration scenarios. The results show that the damping ratios increase to 3% for the weak axis after the installation of the ECD-TMDs and the maximum vibration amplitudes can be reduced by 60%.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.85-102
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• 1998

The Changing Characteristics of Office Location in Central Seoul In recent years, central Seoul has been experiencing a dynamic transformation. In the process of reorganization of urban industrial structure including tertiarization and quaternarization of the economic base of Seoul, business services are growing very rapidly and large scale urban renewal projects are agilely implemented. Downtown office activities become a nucleus for economic performance of Seoul and high-rise office buildings steer the landscape transformation of central Seoul. Even though there appear to exist some evidences that office districts have dispersed to several subcenters, major office activities are still concentrated in the central Seoul. This paper redefines office industry in a narrow meaning comprising only relevant economic sectors and office buildings as office activity-functioning units. It then explores the industrial networking and territorial specialization of office activities focusing on the dual process of concentration and dispersion in Seoul. The changing characteristics of the downtown linkages of office activities in this post-industrial era transforms the spatial economy of central Seoul into more flexible and volatile, while territorial concentration of power and control functions are fortified at the same time. Finally, the paper addresses the development of manufacturing-tertiary-quaternary industrial complex, which can be regarded as new industrial clusters, selling cultural economy of urban space and possessing placeness or images for clients and customers, in relation to urban competitiveness and territorial specialization of large metropolitan areas.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.53-64
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• 2003

Many transmission towers, high-rise buildings and bridges are constructed near steep slopes and are supported by large-diameter piles. These structures may be subjected to large lateral loads, such as violent winds and earthquakes. Widely used types of foundations for these structures are pier foundations, which have large-diameters with high stiffness. The behavior of a pier foundation subjected to lateral loads is similar to that of a short rigid pile because both elements seem to fail by rotation developing passive resistance on opposite faces above and below the rotation point, unlike the behavior of a long flexible pile. This paper describes the results of several numerical studies performed with a three-dimensional finite element method (FEM) of model tests of a laterally loaded short pile located near slopes, respectively. In this paper, the results of model tests of single piles and pile groups subjected to lateral loading, in homogeneous sand with 30$^{\circ}$ slopes and horizontal ground were analyzed by the 3-D FE analyses. The pile was assumed to be linearly elastic. The sand was assumed to have non-associative characteristics, following the MC-DP model. The failure criterion is governed by the Mohr-Coulomb equation and the plastic potential is given by the Drucker-Prager equation. The main purpose of this paper is the validation of the 3-D elasto-plastic FEM by comparisons with the experimental data.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.459-477
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• 2006

A theoretical research project is undertaken to develop integrated analysis and design tools for long span composite beams in modern high-rise buildings, and it aims to develop non-linear finite element models for practical design of composite beams. As the first paper in the series, this paper presents the development study as well as the calibration exercise of the proposed finite element models for simply supported composite beams. Other practical issues such as continuous composite beams, the provision of web openings for passage of building services, the partial continuity offered by the connections to columns as well as the behaviour of both unprotected and protected composite beams under fires will be reported separately. In this paper, details of the finite elements and the material models for both steel and reinforced concrete are first described, and finite element studies of composite beams with full details of test data are then presented. It should be noted that in the proposed finite element models, both steel beams and concrete slabs are modelled with two dimensional plane stress elements whose widths are assigned to be equal to the widths of concrete flanges, and the flange widths and the web thicknesses of steel beams as appropriate. Moreover, each shear connector is modelled with one horizontal spring and one vertical spring to simulate its longitudinal shear and pull-out actions based on measured load-slippage curves of push-out tests of shear connectors. The numerical results are then carefully analyzed and compared with the corresponding test results in terms of load mid-span deflection curves as well as load end-slippage curves. Other deformation characteristics of the composite beams such as stress and strain distributions across the composite cross-sections as well as distributions of shear forces and slippages in shear connectors along the beam spans are also examined in details. It is shown that the numerical results of the composite beams compare well with the test data in terms of various load-deformation characteristics along the entire deformation ranges. Hence, the proposed analysis and design tools are considered to be simple and yet effective for composite beams with practical geometrical dimensions and arrangements. Structural engineers are strongly encouraged to employ the models in their practical work to exploit the full advantages offered by composite construction.