Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 1
Optimal Placement of Controller
for Seismic Structures
Gian Paolo Cimellaro
Politecnico di Torino, Italy
ABSTRACT
The objective of this chapter is to evaluate different methodologies for the optimal placement and in-
novative design of passive energy dissipation systems which are being used to reduce vibrations of civil
engineering structures subject to earthquakes. For large civil engineering structures it is necessary to
install a sufficient number of dampers to achieve a reduction of the building response and the perfor-
mance of these dampers depends on their location in the structures. The selection of few locations out
of a large number of locations for the placement of passive dampers is typically a nonlinear constrained
optimization problem. This problem can be solved either by simple heuristic search approaches which
can be easily integrated in conventional design procedures used by practicing engineers dealing with
damper-added structures, and they yield a solution which may be close to the optimal solution, but com-
putationally expensive. Three different heuristic search strategies will be used to optimize four objective
functions, and results will be compared for three different building typologies.
INTRODUCTION
The dynamic response of civil engineering
structures subjected to earthquake excitation
can be reduced by using passive control systems
such as energy dissipation devices (e.g. viscous
dampers, etc.). The advantage of these systems
with respect to active and semi-active control
systems consist in the fact that they don't require
any power supply, therefore are quite reliable and
they require least maintenance.
Earthquakes pose a major threat to society and
to the economic development of a nation. An
earthquake disaster is generally associated with the
collapse of building structures, but most severely
with a large number of casualties and enormous
economic losses.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search