Rate-Independent Linear Damping for the Improved Seismic Performance of Inter-Story Isolated Structures

ABSTRACT

In this study, rate-independent linear damping (RILD) is proposed for the seismic protection of inter-story isolated structures. For practical applications, the RILD force is approximated using a causal algorithm and then tracked using semi-active control. Both numerical simulation and shake table real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) are used to study a 14-story inter-story isolated structure. First, the causal approximation of RILD evaluated in RTHS is compared to numerical simulation. Second, the benefits of RILD for inter-story isolated structures are demonstrated as compared to conventional damping. RILD offers an attractive control alternative by restricting isolation layer displacements without amplifying accelerations.

KEYWORDS:

• Rate-independent linear damping
• inter-story isolation
• semi-active control
• real-time hybrid simulation
• shake table testing

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Osaka Prefecture and Dr. Toshihide Kashima of the Building Research Institute of Japan for providing the Sakishima site record of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

Additional information

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1444160 and by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) under Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) No. 15H04070.