Structural Control for Earthquakes and Wind Storms Using Active Structural Members

这个项目的主要目标是开发一种混合控制系统，几乎不需要外部能量来控制建筑物的动态响应。在地震和/或强风风暴期间建造桥梁。这将通过两项同时进行的研究活动来实现。第一个方向是开发一种主动结构构件，它使用电流变材料来控制构件的刚度和减震性能。电流变材料的优点是其机械性能可以通过低安培的电流改变一百倍以上字段，并且这些更改可能在毫秒内发生。因此，其动力特性几乎可以在命令下瞬间显著改变的主动结构构件的发展提供了结构控制的新机遇。第二个研究任务是建立一种新的结构控制方法，它将利用主动结构构件的独特性质。这需要一种新的控制系统算法开发理念，基于直接控制可变结构特性。除上述研究任务外，首席调查员还将承担涉及所有人员的技术协调责任根据结构控制倡议授予的项目NSF 91-62。

The main objective of this project is to develop a hybrid control system that requires almost no external energy to control the dynamic response of buildings and bridges during earthquakes and/or strong wind storms. This will be accomplished through two concurrent research activities. The first is directed toward the development of an active structural member which uses electro-rheological materials to control member stiffness and damping properties. The advantage of electro-rheological materials is that their mechanical properties can be changed by over a hundred- fold by a low amperage electrical field and that these changes can occur in milliseconds. Thus the development of active structural members whose dynamic properties can significantly change almost instantaneously on command provides a new opportunity for structural control. The second research task is to establish a new structural control approach which would utilize the unique properties of active structural members. This requires a new philosophy for development of control system algorithms, based on directly controlling variable structural properties. In addition to the research tasks described above the principal investigator will also undertake the technical coordination responsibility involving all projects awarded under the Structural Control Initiative NSF 91-62.