Optimal structural response control with inerter damper-linked substructure considering adjustable substructure parameters

Abstract

The additional substructure strengthening scheme is featured by the advantage of externality, which can avoid influence on the functions and internal space of the existing primary structure (PS). However, this advantage also calls for high-efficiency in response control to minimize size and number of the substructure (SS) and the connecting damper. In this study, tuned viscous mass damper (TVMD) with inertial mass amplification and damping enhancement effects is introduced as a typical inerter damper into the substructure strengthening scheme, in order to realize the high-efficient response control for the low-to-mid-rise PS and fully utilize the externality advantage of the scheme. Targeting at the displacement response of the PS and considering the TVMD connected PS and SS (PIS system), the analytical optimization method for TVMD considering adjustable SS parameters is developed based on the H_∞ criterion and fixed-point theory. The optimization method includes adjustable SS parameters so that they can be flexibly determined according to the practical design conditions. Regarding the optimal parameters of TVMD and the corresponding optimal control effect of the PIS scheme, the variation rules under the influence of SS parameters are investigated and compared with the other conventional schemes. The optimization method and investigation conclusions are validated with time history analysis. The key findings include: 1) the proposed analytical design method could consider adjustable SS parameters and is sufficiently accurate; 2) distancing the SS frequency from the PS and increasing the inertial mass of TVMD facilitate better control effectiveness; 3) the PIS scheme exhibits high control efficiency comparable to the PI scheme while having the advantage of externality.