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

主要研究者：在结构控制中，半主动控制策略被认为是最有前途的建筑物和民用基础设施的减灾。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，许多半主动装置已被应用于建筑物和桥梁中，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，虽然能量消耗低，但这种要求需要在被控制结构的整个寿命期内对这些装置进行维护。在这项研究中，一个免维护的坦克充满了液体和细颗粒，以减轻结构系统的动力响应。该装置（罐）的工作原理如下调谐液体阻尼器。然而，根据土壤动力学中的“土壤液化”机制，其质量可以随着基础激励的增加而改变。因此，虽然在操作中不需要外部能量，但该装置用作半有源单元。这项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多种危害，如爆炸，风暴和地震。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设备进行维护，则需要对半有源设备进行持续检查。所提出的工作是前所未有的，在开发一个免维护设备的结构控制。因此，它将产生一个结构控制的新的研究活动激增。该项目将在一年内完成一名研究生。研究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.