Minimizing structural vibrations with absorbers

In a companion paper¹ the authors show that the parameters of an absorber which will minimize the resonant response of a simple elastic body can be determined from known results by treating the body as an equivalent single degree-of-freedom system. In this paper cylindrical shells are considered as examples of dynamically complex structures, for which the ratio of the natural frequencies of adjacent modes tends towards unity. It is shown that as dynamic complexity increases optimum absorber parameters for the reduction of resonant response deviate increasingly from those for an equivalent single degree-of-freedom system. Absorbers can be used also to reduce the random response of structures. Simple expressions for optimum parameters are given for an undamped main system, which has one degree of freedom and is subjected to white noise excitation. Optimum absorber parameters for beams, plates and cylindrical shells show similar qualitative behaviour for random and harmonic response with the concept of an equivalent single degree-of-freedom system being applicable only for the simpler structures.     

Optimum absorber parameters for various combinations of response and excitation parameters

In recent papers the author has shown that when determining optimum parameters for an absorber which minimizes the vibration response of a complex system, the latter may be treated as an equivalent single degree-of-freedom system if its natural frequencies are well separated. Emphasis was on minimizing the displacement response when the excitation was a harmonic force. In the present paper simple expressions for optimum absorber parameters are derived for undamped one degree-of-freedom main systems for harmonic and white noise random excitations with force and frame acceleration as input and minimization of various response parameters. These expressions can be used to obtain optimum parameters for absorbers attached to complex systems provided that optimization is with respect to an absolute, rather than a relative, quantity. The requirement that the natural frequencies should be well separated is investigated numerically for the different cases. The effect of damping in the main system on optimum absorber parameters is investigated also.     

Optimum absorber parameters for minimizing vibration response

Optimum parameters are determined for absorbers, which, when attached to one mass of a main system with two degrees of freedom, minimize the harmonic response of that mass. Comparison is made with the absorber parameters that are determined by treating the main system as an equivalent one degree-of-freedom system and using classical results. Close agreement is obtained if the ratio of the two natural frequencies of the main system is reasonably large. This is in agreement with the author's recent work on optimum absorber parameters which minimize the response of elastic bodies. The extension of the method to multi degree-of-freedom main systems is outlined. The conditions for which different values of these parameters are predicted when the response is minimized over narrow and broad frequency bands are determined.     

Optimal weight absorber designs for vibrating structures exposed to random excitations

Optimal mass ratios that minimize the response of a laminated beam with an attached absorber are tabulated for various values of beam damping. The beam is treated as an equivalent one degree of freedom (1DOF) main system vibrating in the fundamental mode. The beam is subjected to Gaussian white noise force and Gaussian white noise base frame acceleration. Optimal absorber frequency ratios and absorber damping ratios have been tabulated by others; the results for the classical 1DOF main system with attached absorber suggest that the optimized non-dimensional response decreases monotonically as the mass ratio increases. However, to generalize this monotonic relation may lead to inappropriate conclusions. If we define a constraint such that an increase in absorber mass leads to a proportional decrease in available beam construction material, i.e. effectively the combined mass of the beam and absorber is minimized, then variations in the mass ratio will affect the beam's parameters such as mass, stiffness and damping. Since some of these parameters are used for non-dimensionalising the response, inspection of non-dimensional responses may in some cases lead to inappropriate conclusions. This paper shows the optimal mass ratios for minimizing the response of a structure exposed to earthquake or fluid flow type random excitations.     

Minimal structural response under random excitation using the vibration absorber

The equations of motion are derived for the first mode response of a linear multistorey structure having a linear vibration absorber attached to the roof. Furthermore, the variance of the first mode response to a gaussian white noise lateral base acceleration (as a model of earthquake excitation) is determined. Smallest possible values of the variance of the response along with corresponding absorber parameters are established using an optimization program. It is demonstrated that the absorber is quite effective in reducing first mode response for 5- and 10-storey structures even with relatively small values of the absorber mass. Moreover, minimal responses for the randomly excited single-degree-of-freedom system have been determined, and a design example is presented. The absorber system has potential application not only in earthquake engineering but also in aerospace and terrestrial vehicle design.     

Optimum absorber parameters for simple systems

In the classical problem a damped one degree-of-freedom absorber system is attached to a main system, which has one degree of freedom and is undamped. The optimum values of absorber stiffness and damping, which will minimize the resonant response of the main mass, are well known. In this paper the effect on these optimum conditions of light damping in the main system is studied. The authors show that optimum parameters for absorbers, which are attached to beams and plates, can be obtained simply and accurately from those for an equivalent one degree-of-freedom main system. This depends upon the concept of an effective mass for the elastic body and the representation of its response by the single relevant mode. It will be shown in a later paper that for more complex elastic bodies such as cylindrical shells, for which the natural frequencies are more closely spaced, these simple concepts do not predict accurately optimum absorber parameters.     

Vibrations of beams with an absorber consisting of a viscoelastic solid and a beam

This paper considers the response of a beam with a dynamic vibration absorber, which consists of a viscoelastic solid and a double-cantilever viscoelastic beam, attached to the centre of the main beam. The ends of the main beam are built in and excited sinusoidally by the base motion. The transfer matrix method is used in the analysis. The displacement transmissibility, i.e. the ratio of the displacement at the centre of the main beam to that of the base is investigated in the numerical example. It is shown that the present absorber is effective to suppress several resonances of the main beam simultaneously by only one compact device. Values of the optimum tuning design parameters are presented in the numerical example.     

The inelastic vibration absorber subjected to earthquake ground motions

Two storey bilinear hysteretic structures have been studied with a view to exploring the possibility of using the dynamic vibration absorber concept in earthquake-resistant design. The response of the lower storey has been optimized for the Taft 1952, S69°E accelerogram with reference to parameters such as frequency ratio, yield strength ratio and mass ratio. The influence of viscous damping has also been examined.     

同球向双球面减隔震支座关键部件力学参数影响因素分析

以同球向双球面减隔震支座中的剪力销与减震榫耗能器为研究对象,针对减隔震支座剪力销和减震榫力学参数的影响因素及其规律进行研究。通过反应谱分析和有限元数值模拟的方法讨论了墩高和场地类型变化对剪力销剪断力的影响和减震榫几何参数对减震榫力学性能的影响,同时分析了减震榫在屈服荷载和极限荷载作用下的应力应变分布情况。结果表明,支座剪力销剪断力受墩高和场地条件的影响较大,不能简单地取支座竖向力与某一百分数的乘积设置剪力销的剪断力;减震榫的力学性能主要受d₀、L₁和L3个几何参数控制,本文给出的几何参数对减震榫力学性能的影响规律为减震榫力学参数的初步设置提供了参考。     

与规范反应谱相对应的Clough-Penzien模型参数研究

根据我国现行抗震规范（GB50011—2001）的反应谱曲线，对Clough—Penzien模型的参数取值进行了具体研究。采用时间包络函数考虑地震动的非平稳性，根据加速度峰值等效原则确定了谱强度因子S0的表达式，表明谱强因子不仅与地面加速度特性、场地类别有关，而且与结构的动力特性（阻尼比、自振周期）有关。最后对谱强度因子计算做了简化处理，为随机抗震计算分析提供了参考依据。     

Green's function of support-excited structures with tuned-mass dampers derived by A perturbation method

A tuned-mass damper is a small damped spring-mass system which vibrates in resonance with the main structure to which it is attached so as to be able to dissipate vibration energy and reduce the structural response. In this paper, explicit forms of Green's function for the transient response of main structures equipped with the tuned-mass damper and subjected to support excitation are derived by perturbation techniques and provide an insight into the characteristics of the damper. It is found that there exists a critical damping level for the tuned-mass damper. If the damper damping is higher than this critical damping level, increasing the damper damping will enhance the structural response. When the damper damping is below this critical value, something called ‘beat phenomenon’ occurs where the structure will have a smaller response in the first beat cycle, but have a higher rebound in the following beat cycles.     

与建筑抗震设计规范相对应的地面地震动随机模型参数研究

根据《建筑抗震设计规范(GB50011—2001)》的反应谱曲线,确定了基于Clough-Penzien修正过滤白噪声模型的参数取值。采用时间包络函数考虑地震的非平稳特性,根据加速度峰值等效原则迭代计算得到地面的加速度功率谱密度曲线,然后通过曲线拟合得到与规范各种地震烈度、场地类别和设计地震分组相对应的谱参数。计算结果表明,与规范相对应的加速度功率谱密度曲线呈双峰型,Clough-Penzien谱能较好地拟合其曲线形状。最后给出了规范各种工况下的地面加速度功率谱参数值,为随机抗震计算分析提供了依据。     

An envelope for Mohr's circle in seismically excited three‐dimensional structures

A previously developed response‐spectrum‐based procedure for computing the envelope that bounds the time‐varying realizations of Mohr's circle at any prescribed location within a two‐dimensional structure is extended for use with three‐dimensional structures subjected to as many as three translational components of ground acceleration. The proposed envelope, which is completely defined by quantities that are routinely used and calculated in conventional response spectrum analyses, is developed for the general case in which the principal directions of the earthquake, along which the ground accelerations are uncorrelated, are unknown. The accuracy of the proposed envelope is evaluated by comparing it to the results of an ensemble of time‐history analyses performed on a concrete arch dam using simulated accelerograms. It is found that the proposed envelope has a level of accuracy that is suitable for structural design and analysis. The largest observed difference between the simulated and predicted mean envelopes is less than 5%. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A METHOD OF ESTIMATING THE PARAMETERS OF TUNED MASS DAMPERS FOR SEISMIC APPLICATIONS

The optimum parameters of tuned mass dampers (TMD) that result in considerable reduction in the response of structures to seismic loading are presented. The criterion used to obtain the optimum parameters is to select, for a given mass ratio, the frequency (tuning) and damping ratios that would result in equal and large modal damping in the first two modes of vibration. The parameters are used to compute the response of several single and multi-degree-of-freedom structures with TMDs to different earthquake excitations. The results indicate that the use of the proposed parameters reduces the displacement and acceleration responses significantly. The method can also be used in vibration control of tall buildings using the so-called ‘mega-substructure configuration’, where substructures serve as vibration absorbers for the main structure. It is shown that by selecting the optimum TMD parameters as proposed in this paper, significant reduction in the response of tall buildings can be achieved. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of magnetovariational response functions

Advances in magnetovariational sounding are stimulating further development of this area of deep geoelectrics. The paper contains a review of magnetovariational response functions revealing their main properties and proposing new methods of their analysis. The theory of magnetic perturbation ellipses having a higher resolution is set forth and methods of the decomposition of magnetovariational functions are discussed that allow one to reduce 3D magnetovariational interpretation to two or three independent 2D inversions and eliminate the effect of 2D regional structures of the geoelectric background.     

Analytical and numerical studies on the nonlinear dynamic response of orthotropic membranes under impact load

Orthotropic membrane components and structures are widely used in building structures, instruments and meters, electronic engineering, space and aeronautics, etc., because of their light weights. However, the same lightweight combined with low stiffness make membranes prone to vibration under dynamic loads, and in some cases the vibration may lead to structural failure. Herein, the undamped nonlinear vibration response of pretension rectangular orthotropic membrane structures subjected to impact loading is studied by analytical and numerical methods. The analytical solution is obtained by solving the governing equations by the Bubnov-Galerkin method and the Lindstedt-Poincaré perturbation method. Numerical analysis has also been carried out based on the same theoretical model. The analytical and numerical results have been compared and analyzed, and the infl uence of various model parameters on membrane vibration discussed. The results obtained herein provide some theoretical basis for the vibration control and dynamic design of orthotropic membrane components and structures.     

DYNAMIC RESPONSE VARIABILITY OF STRUCTURES WITH UNCERTAIN PROPERTIES

A modal-based analysis of the dynamic response variability of multiple degree-of-freedom linear structures with uncertain parameters subjected to either deterministic or stochastic excitations is considered. A probabilistic methodology is presented in which random variables with specified probability distributions are used to quantify the parameter uncertainties. The uncertainty in the response due to uncertainties in the structural modelling and loading is quantified by various probabilistic measures such as mean, variance and coefficient of excess. The computation of these probabilistic measures is addressed. A series expansion involving orthogonal polynomials in terms of the system parameters is first used to model the response variability of each contributing mode. Linear equations for the coefficients of each series expansion are derived using the weighted residual method. Mode superposition is then used to derive analytical expressions for the variability and statistics of the uncertain response in terms of the coefficients of the series expansions for all contributing modes. A primary–secondary system and a ten-story building subjected to deterministic and stochastic loads are used to demonstrate the methodology, as well as evaluate its performance by comparing it to existing methods, including the computationally cost-efficient perturbation method.     

Seismic response of the superstructure and attached equipment in a base-isolated building

Base isolation can be used both to protect the structure and simultaneously to reduce the response of internal equipment. The seismic response of a base-isolated structure has been studied through the shaking table test or numerical calculation before. The object of this paper is to analyse a base-isolated structure by a different analytical approach—perturbation analysis. Recognizing that the horizontal stiffness of an isolation system is much smaller than that of the superstructure, the mathematical expressions of the modal properties of base-isolated structures are derived by the perturbation method in terms of the modal properties of the superstructure and used to study the dynamic response of superstructure and attached equipment in the base-isolated building. This study shows that the first base-isolated mode not only controls the superstructural response but also dominates the response of high-frequency attachment. The contribution of higher modes to the response of base-isolated structures, which is proportional to the horizontal stiffness of isolation system, is very small.     

Non-classical damping in dynamic analysis of base-isolated structures with internal equipment

It has been shown that the use of base isolation not only attenuates the response of a primary structural system but also reduces the response of a secondary system mounted on or within the main structure. The isolation system, superstructure and equipment may be made of different materials with significantly different energy dissipation characteristics such that the damping matrix for the combined system is non-classical and can only be approximately expressed by modal damping ratios if the classical mode method is used for analysis. The object of this paper is to evaluate the accuracy of this procedure in approximating the responses of base-isolated structures and internal equipment. The complex mode method can provide exact solutions to problems with non-classical damping and is used here to find the exact response of the isolation-superstructure-equipment system. The entire system is assumed to be linear elastic with viscous damping and the superstructure is assumed to be proportionally damped so that the deformation of the superstructure can be expressed in terms of its classical modes. Recognizing that the ratio of the equipment mass to the structural mass and the ratio of the stiffness of the isolation system to the superstructural stiffness are both small, perturbation methods are used to find the response. This study shows that the response of base-isolated structures can be determined by the classical mode method to some degree of accuracy, but the higher frequency content is distorted. The equipment response derived by the classical mode method is much smaller than the exact solution so that the complex mode method should be applied to find equipment response.     

Predicting torsion‐induced lateral displacements for pushover analysis: Influence of torsional system characteristics

The increasing popularity of simplified nonlinear methods in seismic design has recently led to many proposals for procedures aimed at extending pushover analysis to plan asymmetric structures. In terms of practical applications, one particularly promising approach is based on combining pushover analysis of a 3D structural model with the results of linear (modal) dynamic analysis. The effectiveness of such procedure, however, is contingent on one fundamental requirement: the elastic prediction of the envelope of lateral displacements must be conservative with respect to the actual inelastic one. This paper aims at verifying the above assumption through an extensive parametric analysis conducted with simplified single‐storey models. The main structural parameters influencing torsional response in the elastic and inelastic range of behaviour are varied, while devoting special attention to the system stiffness eccentricity and radius. The analysis clarifies the main features of inelastic torsional response of different types of building structures; in this manner, it is found that the above‐mentioned method is generally suitable for structures characterized by moderate to large torsional stiffness, whereas it cannot be recommended for extremely torsionally stiff structures, as their inelastic torsional response almost always exceeds the elastic one. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.