SGER: Exploratory Study on a Maintenance-free Novel Device for Seismic Reponse Control of Structures

在结构控制方面，半主动策略被认为是最有前途的建筑物和民用基础设施的风险缓解策略。它们可以有效地抑制具有少量外部能量的结构的动力响应。在过去的20年里，人们在建筑物和桥梁上安装了许多半主动装置，以减少风、地震或交通引起的振动。过去开发的所有半主动控制装置都需要使用外部能量，虽然能耗很低，但这一要求要求在受控结构的整个生命周期内对此类装置进行维护。在这项研究中，提出了一种充满液体和细颗粒的免维护水箱，以减轻结构系统的动力响应。该装置(储罐)按照调谐液体阻尼器的原理工作。然而，根据土动力学中的“土壤液化”机制，它的质量可以随着碱激发的增加而改变。因此，虽然在操作中不需要外部能量，但该设备起到半主动单元的作用。这项拟议工作的目标是通过概念验证测试程序来证明该设备的有效性。建筑物和民用基础设施受到多种危险，如爆炸、风暴和地震。这些人为或自然危险的不确定性决定了如果需要对半活动设备进行维护，则需要对其进行持续检查。这项拟议的工作在开发结构控制中的免维护设备方面是前所未有的。该项目将在一年内完成，并由一名研究生完成。结果和调查结果将在权威期刊和全国会议上发布。

PI: Genda Chen, UM-RollaIn structural control, semi-active strategies are considered most promising for the hazard mitigation of buildings and civil infrastructures. They can be used to effectively suppress the dynamic responses of a structure with a small amount of external energy. During the past 20 years, a number of semi-active devices have been implemented in buildings and bridges for reduction of wind-, earthquake- or traffic-induced vibration. All semi-active control devices developed in the past require the use of external energy.Although low in energy use, this requirement necessitates the maintenance of such devices over the life span of a structure being controlled. In this study, a maintenance-free tank filled with liquid and fine particles is proposed to mitigate the dynamic responses of a structural system. The device (tank) works following the principle of a Tuned Liquid Damper. Its mass, however, can be changed as base excitations increase, based on the "soil liquefaction" mechanism in soil dynamics. Therefore, though no external energy is required in operation, the device functions as a semi-active unit. The objective of this proposedwork is to demonstrate the device's effectiveness with a proof-of-concept testing program.Buildings and civil infrastructures are subjected to multi-hazards such as blasting, windstorms, and earthquakes. The uncertain nature of these man-made or natural hazards dictates the constant inspection of a semi-active device if maintenance for such a device is required. The proposed work is unprecedented in developing a maintenance-free device in structural control. It will therefore generate a surge of new research activities in structural control.The project will be completed in one year with one graduate student. The results andfindings will be disseminated in an authorative journal and national conference.