CIVIL ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS OF VIBRATION CONTROL (STRUCTURAL CONTROL)

Presented by Abhijeet Mishra [1901] Naeem Shaikh [1907]

STRUCTURAL CONTROL

Vibration control of civil structures is more recent as compared to machines & aerospace vehicles. Earthquakes and wind loads - main sources of structural vibrations. Control vibrations by: changing rigidity, mass, damping, shape, or applying passive or active control forces.

STRUCTURAL CONTROL VERSUS MECHANICAL & AEROSPACE CONTROL

Environmental disturbances (wind, earthquake excitations) occur over wide range of frequency and amplitudes, i.e., they are uncertain, whereas mechanical loads are usually deterministic.
Civil structures (without control) are stable and may get destabilized with active control, whereas aerospace structures require active control for stabilization. Performance specifications for civil structures are coarse (e.g., peak amplitude, time for motion to settle down).

MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF STRUCTURE.

(a) Mathematical model, (b) Schematic of a building

In a simplified model, the masses correspond to slab masses and stiffnesses correspond to column stiffnesses (i.e, the force required per unit lateral displacement of column)

TYPES OF PASSIVE CONTROL DEVICES

Metallic yield damper: relies on the principle that the metallic device deforms plastically, thus dissipating vibratory energy. Used in earthquake applications. Friction devices: here friction between sliding faces is used to dissipate energy. When used in base isolation systems, the friction coefficient has conflicting requirements. It should not be too large otherwise shear forces from ground during a strong earthquake will transmit to the structure. Also it should not be too small or the entire structure will move due to small/medium wind/earthquake loads. These devices can also be fitted between two storeys to damp their relative motion. Used in earthquake applications.

TYPES OF PASSIVE CONTROL DEVICES

Viscous/ Viscoelastic devices: Example is fluid in a cylinder with piston having an orifice. These can also be semi-active (eg., variable orifice, variable viscosity). Used in earthquake and wind applications. Tuned mass dampers: problems are size of the mass to be used and its displacement relative to the structure, in order that damping is effective. Liquid sloshing dampers, Impact dampers.

PASSIVE CONTROL: BASE ISOLATION

(a) Schematic of base isolated building

PASSIVE CONTROL: BASE ISOLATION

PASSIVE CONTROL: TUNED MASS DAMPER (VIBRATION ABSORBER)

Structure mounted on a suitably flexible base such that the high frequency component of ground motion is filtered out and the fundamental vibration period is lengthened. This results in deformation in the isolation system only, thus keeping the structure above almost rigid. However, if the earthquake excitation contains a major component of this fundamental period, there will be large sideway (albeit almost rigid) motions. Example: San Francisco city hall (retrofitted, 530 rubber bearings), International terminal at SF airport (267 Friction pendulum sliding bearings). Not suitable for tall slender buildings (subject to high wind loads). For these auxiliary dampers (viscous, viscoelastic dampers) are deployed (eg. WTC).

The schematic of a tuned mass damper (the red, 2nd order systems M2-K2-C2) appended to a vibrating structure (resembled by the black, 2nd order system M1-K1-C1) is shown. Tuned dampers are sized so that

their inertia/mass is large enough to ensure their effectiveness their resilience in conjunction with their inertia/mass realizes the desired tuning frequency enough energy dissipation capability is built into them so that they effectively damp the vibration of their target modes.

TMDs are tuned by setting their natural frequencies substantially equal to the resonant frequencies of the structure targeted for damping.

COMPLETED ASSEMBLY OF THE TUNED MASS DAMPER

SINGLE PENDULUM MASS DAMPER

LOCATION OF TAIPEI 101'S LARGEST TUNED MASS DAMPER.

Typically, the dampers are huge concrete blocks or steel bodies mounted in skyscrapers or other structures, and moved in opposition to the resonance frequency oscillations of the structure by means of springs, fluid or pendulums.

PASSIVE CONTROL: TUNED MASS DAMPER (VIBRATION ABSORBER)

TMD, usually having mass about 1% that of structure, fitted to top of building. It is tuned to reduce vibration for given frequency range. Absorber mass takes up vibratory energy, leaving the main mass (building) almost static. Not very useful for earthquake excitations which occur over wide frequency range. Main system properties (stiffness-k1, mass-m1) known, absorber system properties (stiffness-k2, mass-m2) to be designed such that absorber frequency equals excitation frequency (w2=w). Examples: John Hancock Tower (Boston), Citicorp Building (New York).

CLASSIFICATION OF CONTROL METHODS

Active/Feedback control: External source of power drives actuators (i.e., provides input voltage) . Voltages required are computed by controller using certain algorithms with inputs from sensors. Sensors measure motion (strains, displ, vel, accl.) Actuators apply forces to structure, thereby adding or dissipating energy. Examples of sensors are acceleromters, strain gauges. Examples of actuators are tendons, solenoids, piezoelectric stacks, active mass dampers (AMD). Destabilization possible. External power may not be available during earthquake.

CLASSIFICATION OF CONTROL METHODS

Passive control: No external power required. Passive control device (TMD, Base Isolator) imparts forces that are developed directly as a result of motion of structure (i.e., no actuator involved). Total energy (structure + passive device) cannot increase, hence inherently stable. Relatively inexpensive. Reliable during earthquake Not as effective as active, hybrid, semi-active control.

CLASSIFICATION OF CONTROL METHODS

Hybrid control: Uses active & passive devices. Advantages of both active and passive systems are present and their limitations are reduced. Essentially an active control system Examples: viscous damping with AMD, base isolation with actuators, TMD+AMD).

CLASSIFICATION OF CONTROL METHODS

Semi-active control: Uses devices where input power requirements are orders of magnitude less than fully active devices. In fact in some cases battery power is sufficient. These devices usually dont add energy to the system, hence stability ensured. These devices can be viewed as controllable passive devices (eg., Magneto-Rheological Fluid damper where voltage input applied to change viscosity depending on motion measured by sensors, variable orifice damper, controllable friction devices, variable stiffness devices).

Thank You!