A Study on the Economic Perspective of Utilizing Liquid Tanks as Dynamic Vibration Absorbers in Building Structures

Abstract

Traditional code-based building designs attempt to ensure non-collapse criteria under disastrous events such as severe earthquakes, strong cyclones, etc. However, the buildings usually become unfit for use after such extreme events. To keep buildings functional post-disaster, dynamic vibration absorbers (DVAs) can be used, which can lower the energy dissipation demand on the building structure and thereby reduce damage. Two basic configurations of the DVA, namely, the tuned mass damper (TMD) and the tuned liquid damper (TLD) are popular for use in buildings. A partially full liquid tank acts as a TLD, while a full liquid tank may be utilized as the auxiliary mass of a TMD. The tuned dampers have several advantages, and the chief amongst them is their cost-effectiveness. When liquid-filled tanks are considered as TLD or TMD, the cost would reduce further. In this paper, cost-related data from practical installations of liquid-filled tanks as DVAs are analyzed. It is observed that the installation of a DVA in the form of a liquid-filled tank with an additional expenditure of only 0.03% to 1.0% can enhance the effective structural damping ratio by 1.5% to 4.5%, which is significant. When compared with other dampers, liquid-filled tanks as tuned dampers are found to be economical in most cases. For further illustration, the cost of installation of a TLD in an example building is calculated and compared with that of a TMD with sold auxiliary mass.