• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1005-1028
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• 2016

Two novel semi-active control methods for a seismically excited nonlinear benchmark building equipped with magnetorheological dampers are presented and evaluated in this paper. While a primary controller is designed to estimate the optimal control force of a magnetorheological (MR) damper, the required voltage input for the damper to produce such desired control force is achieved using two different methods. The first technique uses an optimal compact Takagi-Sugeno-Kang (TSK) fuzzy inverse model of MR damper to predict the required voltage to actuate the MR dampers (TSKFInv). The other voltage regulator introduced here works based on the maximum and minimum capacities of MR damper at each time-step (MaxMin). Both semi-active algorithms developed here, use acceleration feedback only. The results demonstrate that both TSKFInv and MaxMin algorithms are quite effective in seismic response reduction for wide range of motions from moderate to severe seismic events, compared with the passive systems and performs better than original and Modified clipped optimal controller systems, known as COC and MCOC.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2005.03a
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• pp.388-395
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• 2005

This paper presents cost-effectiveness evaluation of semi-active control system for cable-stayed bridge under earthquake excitation. Bi-state control method with Linear Quadratic Gaussian(LQG) optimal controller is used for generic semi-active dampers. Cost-effectiveness of the structural control system is investigated by using the life-cycle cost(LCC) concept. The evaluation results show that the efficiency of semi-active control system is increased when the damage cost due to the failure of bridge system or the bridge importance is enlarged. It was also found that the damper cost had little influence on the cost-effectiveness of semi-active control system if it was relatively small to the initial construction cost.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.403-410
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• 2003

A new semiactive control strategy for seismic response reduction using a neuro-controller and a magnetorheological (MR) fluid damper is proposed. The proposed control system adopts a clipped algorithm which induces the MR damper to generate approximately the desired force. The improved neuro - controller, which was developed by employing the training algorithm based on a cost function and the sensitivity evaluation algorithm replacing an emulator neural network, produces the desired active control force, and then by using the clipped algorithm the appropriate command voltage is selected in order to cause the MR damper to generate the desired control force. The simulation results show that the proposed semiactive neuro-control algorithm is quite effective to reduce seismic responses. In addition, the semi-active control system using MR fluid dampers has many attractive features, such as the bounded-input, bounded-output stability and small energy requirements. The results of this investigation, therefore, indicate that the proposed semi-active neuro-control strategy using MR fluid dampers could be effectively used for control of seismically excited structures.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.479-487
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• 2017

Frictional dampers are used in structural engineering as means of passive control. Meanwhile, frictional damper shave a disadvantage compared to viscous rivals since the slippage force must be exceeded to activate the device, and cannot be ideal full range of possible events. The concept of semi-active control is utilized to overcome this shortcoming. In this paper, a new semi-active frictional damper called Smart Adjustable Frictional (SAF) damper is introduced. SAF damper consists of hydraulic, electronic units and sensors which are all linked with an active control discipline. SAF acts as a smart damper which can adapt its slippage threshold during a dynamic excitation by measuring and controlling the structural response. The novelty of this damper is, while it controls the response of the structure in real time with acceptable time delay. The paper also reports on the results of a series of experiments which have been performed on SAF dampers to obtain their prescribed hysteretic behavior for various control algorithms. The results show that SAF can produce the desired slippage load of various algorithms in real time. Numerical models incorporating control simulations are also made to obtain the hysteretic response of the system which agrees closely with test results.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.58 no.6
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• pp.1127-1143
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• 2016

The pounding phenomenon in adjacent structures happens in severing earthquakes that can cause great damages. Connecting neighboring structures with active and semi-active control devices is an effective method to avoid mutual colliding between neighboring buildings. One of the most important issues in control systems is applying online control force. There will be a time delay if the prose of producing control force does not perform on time. This paper proposed a time-delay compensation method in coupled structures control, with semi-active Magnetorheological (MR) damper. This method based on Newmark's integration is adopted to mitigate the time-delay effect. In this study, Lyapunov's direct approach is employed to compute demanded voltage for MR dampers. Using Lyapunov's direct algorithm guarantees the system stability to design a controller based on feedback. Because of the strong nonlinearity of MR dampers, the equation of motion of coupled structures becomes an involved equation, and it is impossible to solve it with the common time step methods. In present paper modified Newmark-Beta integration based on the instantaneous optimal control algorithm, used to solve the involved equation. In this method, the response of a coupled system estimated base on optimal control force. Two MDOF structures with different degrees of freedom are finally considered as a numeric example. The numerical results show, the Newmark compensation is an efficient method to decrease the negative effect of time delay in coupled systems; furthermore, instantaneous optimal control algorithm can estimate the response of structures suitable.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.6 no.8
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• pp.953-974
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• 2010

The performance of variable dampers for seismic protection of the benchmark highway bridge (phase I) under six real earthquake ground motions is presented. A simplified lumped mass finite-element model of the 91/5 highway bridge in Southern California is used for the investigation. A variable damper, developed from magnetorheological (MR) damper is used as a semi-active control device and its effectiveness with friction force schemes is investigated. A velocity-dependent damping model of variable damper is used. The effects of friction damping of the variable damper on the seismic response of the bridge are examined by taking different values of friction force, step-coefficient and transitional velocity of the damper. The seismic responses with variable dampers are compared with the corresponding uncontrolled case, and controlled by alternate sample control strategies. The results of investigation clearly indicate that the base shear, base moment and mid-span displacement are substantially reduced. In particular, the reduction in the bearing displacement is quite significant. The friction and the two-step friction force schemes of variable damper are found to be quite effective in reducing the peak response quantities of the bridge to a level similar to or better than that of the sample passive, semi-active and active controllers.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.1001-1025
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• 2016

Building structures generally have inherent low damping capability and hence are vulnerable to seismic excitations. Control devices therefore play a useful role in providing safety to building structures subject to seismic events. In recent years semi-active dampers have gained considerable attention as structural control devices in the building construction industry. Magneto-rheological (MR) damper, a type of semi-active damper has proven to be effective in seismic mitigation of building structures. MR dampers contain a controllable MR fluid whose rheological properties vary rapidly with the applied magnetic field. Although some research has been carried out on the use of MR dampers in building structures, optimal design of MR damper and combined use of MR and passive dampers for real scale buildings has hardly been investigated. This paper investigates the use of MR dampers and incorporating MR-passive damper combinations in building structures in order to achieve acceptable levels of seismic performance. In order to do so, it first develops the MR damper model by integrating control algorithms commonly used in MR damper modelling. The developed MR damper is then integrated in to the seismically excited structure as a time domain function. Linear and nonlinear structure models are evaluated in real time scenarios. Analyses are conducted to investigate the influence of location and number of devices on the seismic performance of the building structure. The findings of this paper provide information towards the design and construction of earthquake safe buildings with optimally employed MR dampers and MR-passive damper combinations.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.10 no.1 s.47
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• pp.51-62
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• 2006

To dale, lots of types of tuned mass dampers are developed and investigated to reduce dynamic responses of a structure due to various causes. In this study, control performance of semi-active tuned mass damper(STMD), that can change the damping of tuned mass damper in real time based on structural responses, was investigated with respect to various types of excitation employing numerical simulation. Skyhook control algorithm was used to appropriately modulate the damping ratio of semi-active damper that composes STMD. The control effectiveness of a STMD under harmonic and random excitation were evaluated using a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) structure in comparison with a conventional passive tuned mass damper (TMD). The robustness of a STMD and a passive TMD were compared along with the variation of the mass of a SDOF structure. The control performance of STMD using magnetorheological (MR) damper was also investigated in this study. Based on the numerical studios, it was shown that the control effectiveness of the STMD was significantly superior to that of a passive TMD with respect to harmonic and random excitation.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.889-913
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• 2015

Structural vibration characteristics of a semi-active base-isolated building were investigated using seismic observation records including those of the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake (Tohoku earthquake). Three different types of analyses were conducted. First, we investigated the long-term changes in the natural frequencies and damping factors by using an ARX model and confirmed that the natural frequency of the superstructure decreased slightly after the main shock of the Tohoku earthquake. Second, we investigated short-term changes in the natural frequencies and damping factors during the main shock by using the N4SID method and observed different transition characteristics between the first and second modes. In the second mode, in which the superstructure response is most significant, the natural frequency changed depending on the response amplitude. In addition, at the beginning of the ground motion, the identified first natural frequency was high possibly as a result of sliding friction. Third, we compared the natural frequencies and damping factors between the conditions of a properly functional semi-active control system and a nonfunctional system, by using the records of the aftershocks of the Tohoku earthquake. However, we could not detect major differences because the response was probably influenced by sliding friction, which had a more significant effect on damping characteristics than did the semi-active dampers.