Seismic mitigation and configuration-based performance study on particle tuned mass damper applied to transmission tower-line system

This study develops a finite-discrete element coupling simulation model to assess seismic mitigation effectiveness of particle tuned mass dampers (PTMDs) in transmission tower-line systems (TTLSs). The particle dynamics within the PTMD are investigated, and parametric analyses are conducted to explore the vibration control mechanism. A key indicator, the average pounding clearance, is proposed to reflect the influence of PTMD configuration on its damping performance. Results show that the simulation model, validated through shaking table tests, effectively captures the nonlinear vibration characteristics of both the TTLS and the PTMD. PTMD significantly reduces the seismic response of transmission towers in TTLS, achieving a maximum reduction ratio of 45.6 %. The pounding of particles within the PTMD can transfer vibration energy to higher frequencies, expediting energy dissipation. Furthermore, upper and lower numerical bounds can be found for particle displacement in a single-particle PTMD. However, these bounds are less strict for multiple-particle PTMDs, highlighting the limitation of the simplification method used in previous studies. The proposed indicator addresses the limitations of traditional parameters, such as area filling ratio, which fail to independently capture the impact of PTMD configuration on its damping performance.