• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.459-465
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• 2018

Reducing response of buildings during earthquakes by mass dampers, has been examined in many articles and books. Nowadays, many researchers are trying to realistically examine this type of dampers by new methods of performance. In this paper, for the better study of tuned mass damper (TMD), two schematic models are presented for a passive TMD with softening stiffness (softening TMD) and a passive TMD with hardening stiffness (hardening TMD). Then by modeling and analysis of the damper on a single degree of freedom (SDOF) structure and an 11-story steel building, the dampers performance was evaluated. State space was used for damper and structure modeling and to solve nonlinear equations, the Newton-Raphson method was used. The results show that when the structure is subjected to the Chi-Chi earthquake, response of the sixth floor in the system without TMD reduces 54.0% in comparison to the structure with softening TMD. This percentage of reduction for hardening TMD is 55.0%. Also for the Tabas earthquake, reduction in the RMS acceleration of the sixth floor in the system with hardening TMD is 96.2% more than the structure without TMD. This percentage of reduction for hardening TMD is 96.3%.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.489-506
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• 2018

This paper reported test of full-scale cables attached with four types of dampers: viscous damper, passive Magneto-Rheological (MR) damper, friction damper and High Damping Rubber (HDR) damper. The logarithmic decrements of the cable with attached dampers were calculated from free vibration time history. The efficiency ratios of the mean damping ratios of the tested four dampers to theoretical maximum damping ratio were derived, which was very important for practical damper design and parameter optimization. Non-ideal factors affecting damper performance were discussed based on the test results. The effects of concentrated mass and negative stiffness were discussed in detail and compared theoretically. Approximate formulations were derived and verified using numerical solutions. The critical values for non-dimensional concentrated mass coefficient and negative stiffness were identified. Efficiency ratios were approximately 0.6, 0.6, and 0.3 for the viscous damper, passive MR damper and HDR damper, respectively. The efficiency ratio for the friction damper was between 0-1.0. The effects of concentrated mass and negative stiffness on cable damping were positive as both could increase damping ratio; the concentrated mass was more effective than negative stiffness for higher vibration modes.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.261-276
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• 2013

Oil, hysteretic and inertial mass dampers are representatives of passive dampers used for smart enhancement of seismic performance of building structures. Since oil dampers have a nonlinear relief mechanism and hysteretic dampers possess nonlinear restoring-force characteristics, several difficulties arise in the evaluation of buildings including such dampers. The purpose of this paper is to propose a practical method for simultaneous optimal use of such dampers. The optimum design problem is formulated so as to minimize the maximum interstory drift under design earthquakes in terms of a set of damper quantities subject to an equality constraint on the total cost of dampers. The proposed method to solve the optimum design problem is a successive procedure which consists of two steps. The first step is a sensitivity analysis by using nonlinear time-history response analyses, and the second step is a modification of the set of damper quantities based upon the sensitivity analysis. Numerical examples are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness and validity of the proposed design method.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.537-551
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• 2019

In this paper, a method for analyzing the damping performance of stay cables incorporating magnetorheological (MR) dampers in the passive control mode is developed taking into account the cable sag and inclination, the damper coefficient, stiffness and mass, and the stiffness of damper support. Both numerical and asymptotic solutions are obtained from complex modal analysis. With the asymptotic solution, analytical formulas that evaluate the equivalent damping ratio of the sagged cable-damper system in consideration of all the above parameters are derived. The main thrust of the present study is to develop an general design formula and a universal curve for the optimal design of MR dampers for adjustable passive control of sagged cables. Two sag-affecting coefficients are derived to reflect the effects of cable sag on the maximum attainable damping ratio and the optimal damper coefficient. For the cable configurations commonly used in cable-stayed bridges, the sag-affecting coefficients are directly expressed in terms of the sag-extensibility parameter to facilitate the control design. A case study on adjustable passive vibration control of the longest cable (536 m) on Stonecutters Bridge is carried out to demonstrate the influence of the sag for the damper design, and to figure out the necessity of adjustability of damper coefficients for achieving maximum damping ratio for different vibration modes.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.2 no.3 s.5
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• pp.103-113
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• 2002

This thesis investigates vibration response characteristics of building frames in which dampers are installed. The frames belong to passively vibration-controlled. Structures which utilizes energy dissipation of mechanical dampers provided in the structure. In this thesis, a turbulent flow damper sealed by visco-elastic material was dealt with as the device of passive vibration control. To investigate the resisting force characteristics of the damper, harmonic vibratration tests were carried out. Based on the test results, a theoretical model of the damper resistance was presented and a method of identifying the model parameters was proposed. Shaking table tests of the frame with and without the dampers were carried out and the effectiveness of the damper was examined. The response of the frame with the dampers was reduced to 1/2 or 1/3 of the cases without the damper.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.467-474
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• 2002

Semiactive control systems have received considerable attention for protecting structures against natural hazards such as strong earthquakes and high winds, because they not only offer the reliability of passive control systems but also maintain the versatility and adaptability of fully active control systems. Among the many semiactive control devices, magnetorheological (MR) fluid dampers comprise one particularly promising class. In the field of civil engineering, much research and development on MR fluid damper-based control systems has been conducted since B. F. Spencer first introduced this unique semiactive device to civil engineering applications in mid 1990s. In 2001, MR fluid dampers were applied to the full-scale in-service civil engineering structures for the first time. This state-of-the-art paper includes a detailed literature review of control algorithms considering the characteristics of fm fluid dampers. This review provides references to semiactive control systems using MR fluid dampers. The MR fluid damper-based semiactive control systems are shown to have the potential for mitigating the responses of full-scale civil engineering structures under natural hazards.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.349-363
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• 2012

Fuzzy logic based control has recently been proposed for regulating the properties of magnetorheological (MR) dampers in an effort to reduce vibrations of structures subjected to seismic excitations. So far, most studies showing the effectiveness of these algorithms have focused on the use of a single MR damper. Because multiple dampers would be needed in practical applications, this study aims to evaluate the effects of multiple individually tuned fuzzy-controlled MR dampers in reducing responses of a multi-degree-of-freedom structure subjected to seismic motions. Two different fuzzy-control algorithms are considered, a traditional controller where all parameters are kept constant, and a gain-scheduling control strategy. Different damper placement configurations are also considered, as are different numbers of MR dampers. To determine the robustness of the fuzzy controllers developed to changes in ground excitation, the structure selected is subjected to different earthquake records. Responses analyzed include peak and root mean square displacements, accelerations, and interstory drifts. Results obtained with the fuzzy-based control schemes are compared to passive control strategies.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.173-176
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• 2014

This special issue focuses on Smart Tuned Mass Dampers (STMD) that are either active or smart or semi-active in nature. Active tuned mass dampers or active mass dampers have found wide acceptance and have been implemented in many tall buildings and long span bridges. Recently researchers have developed a new class of smart tuned mass dampers using either variable stiffness and/or variable damping to effect the change in instantaneous frequency and damping. Since tuning plays a central role in STMDs it is of great current interest thus the topic of this special issue. Discussions of recent active and smart TMD implementations in tall buildings and bridges are also included.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.9 no.1 s.41
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• pp.51-59
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• 2005

Magnetorheological(MR) dampers are one of the most promising semi active control devices, because they have advantages such as small power requirement, reliability, and low price to manufacture. To reduce the responses of structures with MR dampers, a control system including power supply, controller, and sensors is required. However, when a mount of MR dampers are used to a large?scale civil structure such as cable stayed bridges, the control system becomes complex. Therefore, it is not easy to install and maintain the MR damper based control system. To resolve above difficulties, This paper proposes a smart passive system that consists of a MR damper and an electromagnetic induction(EMI) system. According to the Faraday’s law of induction, EMI system that is attached to the MR damper produces electric energy. The produced energy is supplied to the MR damper. Thus, the MR damper with EMI system does not require any power at all. Furthermore, the induced electric energy is proportional to external loads like earthquakes, which means the MR damper with EMI system is adaptable to external loads without any controller and corresponding sensors. Therefore, it is easy to build up and maintain the proposed smart passive system.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.33-39
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• 2002

Commercial vehicles are mostly subjected to relatively rougher ground environment than passenger vehicles. Many driver's seats of commercial vehicles have suspension system with spring and dampers. Then, impact or vibrative forces transmitted from the vehicle to the driver can be attenuated. This study deals with a ride evaluation method using sky-hook control algorithm for the suspension dampers. Vibration amplitude transmissibilities were compared between passive dampers and semi-active dampers with sky-hook control method.