Advanced Control and Simulation of Structural Systems

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Structural engineering is a profession where failure can result in devastating loss of life and property. To protect structures during extreme loading conditions, several different structural control systems have already been developed and deployed. The investigations in the aftermath of recent natural disasters show that some structures with structural control systems survived with little or no damage; whereas other structures with similar control systems were severely damaged. These can be seen as testaments of both the potential of structural control and the need for research to employ these systems in a way to ensure consistent and robust structural response under extreme loading conditions. To enable the development and widespread use of these control systems, it is necessary to develop performance based design codes which require knowledge of structural performance from real-time tests of structures equipped with these devices. Real-time Hybrid Simulation (RTHS) is ideal to address this need by only testing the critical components linked with computational models of the remainder of the structure and thus enabling a deeper and more economical investigation through a broader array of tests. The proposed highly interdisciplinary research program will handle the common challenges related to the practical implementation of the structural control systems and successful application of RTHS. It will develop self-tuning controllers for RTHS and hybrid control systems. This will enable researchers who are not experts in control field to reliably perform RTHS of complex structural systems. The deliverables of the proposed research program also include a new, compact, and experimentally-validated hybrid control system. By presenting structural engineers with enhanced, reliable testing tools and control techniques, the proposed interdisciplinary program will contribute to the design and understanding of the next generation structures. With the dissemination of the research findings, and through the highly qualified personnel that will be trained, this cutting-edge research program will provide Canada with a leading position in the field of structural testing and control.