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

PI: Genda Chen， um - rollin结构控制，半主动策略被认为最有希望减轻建筑物和民用基础设施的危害。它们可以用来有效地抑制结构的动力响应与少量的外部能量。在过去的20年里，许多半主动装置已经在建筑物和桥梁上实施，以减少风、地震或交通引起的振动。过去研制的半主动控制装置都需要利用外部能量。虽然能耗低，但这一要求要求在被控制结构的寿命期内对此类设备进行维护。在这项研究中，提出了一个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（油箱）的工作原理是调谐液体阻尼器。根据土壤动力学中的“土壤液化”机制，其质量随基底激励的增加而变化。因此，虽然在运行中不需要外部能量，但该装置作为半主动单元运行。这项拟议工作的目的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爆破、风暴和地震等多种灾害的影响。这些人为或自然危害的不确定性决定了如果需要对半有源装置进行维护，则必须不断检查这种装置。在开发结构控制免维护装置方面所提出的工作是前所未有的。因此，它将在结构控制方面产生大量新的研究活动。该项目将在一年内由一名研究生完成。研究结果将在权威期刊和全国性会议上发表。

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.