• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.165-188
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• 2012

In the first part of the paper, the optimal design parameters for tuned liquid column dampers (TLCD) in harmonic pitching motion were investigated. The configurations in design tables include uniform and non-uniform TLCDs with cross-sectional ratios of 0.3, 0.6, 1, 2 and 3 for the design in different situations. A closed-form solution of the structural response was used for performing numerical optimization. The results from optimization indicate that the optimal structural response always occurs when the two resonant peaks along the frequency axis are equal. The optimal frequency tuning ratio, optimal head loss coefficient, the corresponding response and other useful quantities are constructed in design tables as a guideline for practitioners. As the value of the head loss coefficient is only available through experiments, in the second part of the paper, the prediction of head loss coefficients in the form of a design chart are proposed based on a series of large scale tests in pitching base motions, aiming to ease the predicament of lacking the information of head loss for those who wishes to make designs without going through experimentation. A large extent of TLCDs with cross-sectional ratios of 0.3, 0.6, 1, 2 and 3 and orifice blocking ratios ranging from 0%, 20%, 40%, 60% to 80% were inspected by means of a closed-form solution under harmonic base motion for identification. For the convenience of practical use, the corresponding empirical formulas for predicting head loss coefficients of TLCDs in relation to the cross-sectional ratio and the orifice blocking ratio were also proposed. For supplemental information to horizontal base motion, the relation of head loss values versus blocking ratios and the corresponding empirical formulas were also presented in the end.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.91-103
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• 2023

Tuned liquid dampers (TLDs) are increasingly being used as efficient dynamic vibration absorbers to mitigate wind-induced vibration in super high-rise buildings. However, the damping characteristics of screens and the control effectiveness of actual structures must be investigated to improve the reliability of TLDs in engineering applications. In this study, a numerical TLD model is developed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and a simulation method for achieving the coupled vibration of the structure and TLD is proposed. The numerical results are verified using shaking table tests, and the effects of the solidity ratio and screen position on the TLD damping ratios are investigated. The TLD control effectiveness is obtained by simulating the wind-induced vibration response of a full-scale structure-TLD system to determine the optimal screen solidity ratio. The effects of the structural frequency, damping ratio, and wind load amplitude on the TLD performance are further analyzed. The TLD damping ratio increases nonlinearly with the solidity ratio, and it increases with the screens towards the tank center and then decreases slightly owing to the hydrodynamic interaction between screens. Full-scale coupled simulations demonstrated that the optimal TLD control effectiveness was achieved when the solidity ratio was 0.46. In addition, structural frequency shifts can significantly weaken the TLD performance. The control effectiveness decreases with an increase in the structural damping ratio, and is insensitive to the wind load amplitude within a certain range, implying that the TLD has a stable damping performance over a range of wind speed variations.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.37-51
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• 2018

Tuned Liquid Dampers (TLDs) have gained wide acceptance as a system for structural control and energy dissipation. However, they face limitation caused by low damping in deep water, which affects their efficiency. Another problem with deep water TLDs is that not all water depth participates in energy dissipation. This paper investigated the effect of upper mounted baffles on the effectiveness of TLDs. The Vertical Blockage Ratio (VBR) of baffles ranged from 10% - 90%. The TLD (with and without baffle), structure, and combined structure with TLD (with and without baffles) were subjected to free and harmonic forced vibrations. Results indicated that baffles could significantly enhance the energy dissipation of TLDs, thus reducing structural responses more than structures equipped with ordinary TLDs. It was found that, there was an optimum value of VBR in which the TLD's efficiency was maximized. When TLD had an appropriate VBR, the structural acceleration and displacement responses were suppressed significantly up to 51% and 56%, respectively.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.131-148
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• 2016

Tuned Liquid Dampers (TLDs) provide low damping when it comes to deep water condition, and that not all water depth is mobilized in energy dissipation. This research focussed on a method to improve the efficiency of TLDs with deep water condition. Several bottom-mounted baffles were installed inside a TLD and the dynamic characteristics of modified TLDs together with their effect on the vibration control of a SDOF structure were studied experimentally. A series of free vibration and harmonic forced vibration tests were carried out. The controlling parameter in the conducted tests was the Vertical Blocking Ratio (VBR) of baffles. Results indicated that increase in VBR decreases the natural frequency of TLD and increases its damping ratio. It was found that the VBR range of 10% to 30% reduced response of the structure significantly. The modified TLD with the VBR of 30% showed the best performance when reduction in structural responses under harmonic excitations were compared.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.620-627
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• 2009

Shaking table test was carried out to obtain dynamic characteristics of TLCDs with uniform and non-uniform sections for both horizontal and vertical tubes. The input to the table is harmonic acceleration with constant magnitude. The output is horizontal dynamic force which is measured by load cell installed below the TLCD. Transfer functions are experimentally obtained using the ratio of input and output. Natural frequency, the most important design factor, is compared to that by theoretical equation for TLCDs with five different water levels. System identification process is performed for experimentally obtained transfer functions to find the dynamic characteristics of head loss coefficient and effective mass of TLCDs. It is found that their magnitudes are larger for a TLCD with non-uniform section than with uniform section and natural frequencies are close to theoretical ones.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-20
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• 2008

The dynamic characteristics of the passive, semi-active, and active tuned-liquidcolumn dampers (or TLCDs) are studied in this paper. The design of the latter two are based on the first one. A water-head difference (or simply named as water head in this paper) of a passive TLCD is pre-set to form the so-called semi-active one in this paper. The pre-set of water head is released at a proper time instant during an earthquake excitation in order to enhance the vibration reduction of a structure. Two propellers are installed along a shaft inside and at the center of a passive TLCD to form an active one. These two propellers are driven by a servo-motor controlled by a computer to provide the control force. The seismic responses of a five-story shear building with a passive, semiactive, and active TLCDs are computed for demonstration and discussion. The responses of this building with a tuned mass damper (or TMD) are also included for comparison. The small-scale shaking-table experiments of a pendulum-like system with a passive or active TLCD to harmonic and seismic excitations are conducted for verification.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.15-24
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• 2009

The results of a simulation study of variable liquid column oscillations in U-tanks with a novel control scheme are presented. The configuration under investigation is analogous to that of the tuned liquid-column damper used to suppress oscillatory motion in large structures like tall buildings and cargo ships. However, by virtue of an adequate controller, the response of amplitude of the U-tanks becomes larger in a desired frequency range. The motion of wave energy conversion system equipped with a variable liquid column oscillator is described by a series of nonlinear differential equations. The equations describe the motion of body under ocean wave excitation, and the motion of liquid with an air-spring effect caused by the compression and expansion of air in vertical liquid columns and air chambers. It is shown that the effect of the air-spring has a vital role to maintain the natural frequency of oscillation in the system to synchronize with the frequency of the ocean wave, thus the system provides the most effective mode for energy extraction from the ocean.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.16-21
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• 2014

The structure of the variable liquid column oscillator(VLCO) is analogous to that of the tuned liquide column damper used to suppress oscillatory motion in large structures like tall buildings and cargo ships. VLCO is the technology to absorb high potential energy made by process of accelerated motions to occur the effect of an air spring by installation of inner air chamber. So, the application of VLCO can obtain to improve efficiency of energy than wave energy converters made in Pelamis Company. In this research, the experiments were carried out for the motion characteristics of simple floating body by varying the amount of internal fluid. The experimental results were compared with the calculated results.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.5-10
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• 2016

The structure of the variable liquid column oscillator(VLCO) is analogous to that of the tuned liquid column damper used to suppress oscillatory motion in large structures like tall buildings and cargo ships. VLCO is using the technology which absorbs high potential energy made by process of accelerated motions effect of air spring by installation of inner air chamber. So, the application of VLCO can improve the efficiency of energy than that of wave energy converters made in Pelamis Company. In this research, experiments were performed for the models which have two different liquid column sizes. In order to find out the biggest motion response, two major conditions are taken into account. Two conditions are to open(or close) the valves and to differentiate the height of the liquid column.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.71-79
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• 2006

Swirl injector with multi-stage tangential entry was analyzed to suppress high-frequency combustion instability in Liquid Rocket Engines. In order to analyze the effect of swirl injector as an acoustic absorber, swirl injector was regarded as a quarter-wave resonator and it's damping capacity is verified in atmospheric temperature. It has a finite mode of vibration and natural frequencies which can be tuned to the natural frequencies of a model combustion chamber. The interior air core shape of injector is more stable in the case of using the swirl injector with multi-stage entry than with single-stage entry. Also, when the swirl injector with multi-stage entry is used, tuned-injector length for unstable mode is well agreed with the calculated length. From the experimental data, it is proved that if the interior air core shape of swirl injector is stable, the fine tuned swirl injector can decrease the unstable mode of model chamber effectively and increase the damping rate.