SBIR PHASE I: Electrorheological Fluid Dampers for Control and Damage Reduction of Earthquake Motion in Buildings and Bridges

小行星9560256 该SBIR第一阶段赠款的目的是建造和测试一个全尺寸的流体阻尼器使用电流变（ER）流体作为其工作介质。 阻尼器可以安装在建筑物或桥梁的框架内，以增加结构抵抗地震荷载的能力。 该阻尼器使用一个独特的整体控制阀，没有移动部件，并使用内部流动的ER流体。 该阀由控制信号电子地激活以改变阻尼器的阻尼常数。 当被激活时，ER流体的粘度急剧增加，接近凝胶状状态。 这种状态的变化可能瞬间发生，并干扰通过控制阀的流量，从而大大增加阻尼器的阻力。 这也允许阻尼器在地震事件期间对结构中存在的极宽范围的频率作出响应 这项研究将使建筑物和桥梁受到地震运动的主动控制，减少或消除在最大可信的地震运动的损害。 阻尼力耗散地震能量，从而大大减少对结构的破坏。 由于操作ER阻尼器所需的功率非常低，即使是传统的电池也成为大型结构的控制功率的有效来源。 具体的结构，将显示最大的改善是钢框架建筑物和钢筋混凝土公路桥梁。

9560256 Taylor The purpose of this SBIR Phase I grant is to construct and test a full size fluid damper using electrorheological (ER) fluid as its operating medium. The damper can be installed within the frame of a building or bridge to increase the structure's capability to resist earthquake loads. The damper uses a unique monolithic control valve having no moving parts and using internal flows of the ER fluid. The valve is electronically activated by a control signal to alter the damping constant of the damper. When activated, ER fluids radically increase in viscosity, approaching a gel-like state. This change of state can occur instantaneously and disturbs flow through the control valve, thus greatly increasing the damper's resistance. This also allows the damper to respond to the extremely broad range of frequencies existing in a structure during a seismic event This research will allow the active control of building and bridges subjected to earthquakes motions, reducing or eliminating damage during maximum credible seismic motions. The damping forces dissipate the seismic energy, thus greatly reducing damage to the structure. Because the required power to operate an ER damper us very low, even conventional batteries become effective sources of control power for massive structures. Specific structures which will show the greatest improvements are steel frame buildings and reinforced concrete highway bridges.