Event-Driven Control System for Geographically Distributed Hybrid Simulation

Abstract

An event-driven distributed control system for conducting continuous seismic response simulations using geographically distributed hybrid models is presented. Hybrid models, comprising appropriately scaled experimental and numerical substructures in networked geographically distributed laboratories or computers, can be used to realistically and cost-effectively evaluate the performance of complex structures at large scales. The principal advantage of the proposed event-driven control system is its ability to mitigate the adverse effects of random completion times of communication, computation, actuation and measurement tasks during a hybrid simulation on the stability, accuracy and reliability of the simulation results. The efficiency of the proposed continuous extrapolation/interpolation hybrid simulation method is demonstrated by examining the earthquake response of a two-story shear building model that comprises two experimental substructures and a numerical integrator connected through the internet. An evaluation of results from these hybrid simulations suggests that distributed hybrid simulation conducted using the proposed procedure provides accurate and reliable results.