NEHRP Clearinghouse
- Title
- Electrorheological Dampers for Structural Vibration Suppression.
- File
- PB95263893.pdf
- Author(s)
- Gavin, H. P.; Hanson, R. D.
- Source
- National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA., August 14, 1995, 210 p.
- Identifying Number(s)
- UMCEE-94-35
- Abstract
- The purpose of using Electrorheological (ER) devices in civil engineering structures is to improve structural safety and performance by controlling the response to dynamic loads. To evaluate the use of ER devices in semi-active vibration control, small scale shaking table tests are proposed. A single-axis, servo-hydraulic shaking table is being constructed. ER devices for controlling a SDOF and a 3DOF shear building structure model are in design. Due to its simplicity of design and fabrication, an ER shear wall device will be implemented first. The simplicity of the ER shear wall allows for modifications of the device as the knowledge base generated by the shaking table tests grows. A self-contained implementation of the ER device, sensors, controller hardware, and power supply is envisioned. The building vibration control system will not require external power, accumulators, valves, hoses, seals, digital signal processing, or centralized decisions. Initially the device will be placed at the first floor level. The control strategy under consideration allows for distributed devices, along the height of the structure. Distributed semi-active actuation is envisioned in these experiments.
- Keywords
- Rheology; Earthquake resistant structures; Structural vibration; Mathematical models; Viscous damping; Dynamic response; Actuators; Earthquake engineering; Electrorheological materials; Poiseuille flow; Vibration damping; Stress analysis; Vibration isolators; Ducted flow; Viscoelasticity