Fragility estimates of smart structures with sensor faults

Abstract

In this paper, the impact of sensor faults within smart structures is investigated using seismic fragility analysis techniques. Seismic fragility analysis is one of the methods used to evaluate the vulnerability of structural systems under a broad range of earthquake events. It would play an important role in estimating seismic losses and in the decision making process based on vibration control performance of the smart structures during seismic events. In this study, a three-story building employing a highly nonlinear hysteretic magnetorheological (MR) damper is analyzed to estimate the seismic fragility of the smart control system. Different levels of sensor damage scenarios for smart structures are considered to provide a better understanding of the expected fragility estimates due to the impact of sensor failures. Probabilistic demand models are constructed with a Bayesian updating approach while the seismic capacity of smart structures is estimated based on the approximate structural performance of semi-actively controlled structures. Peak ground acceleration (PGA) of ground motion is used as a measure of earthquake intensity. Then the fragility curves for the smart structures are developed and compared with those for the semi-active control systems with different levels of sensor damage scenarios. The responses of an uncontrolled structure are used as a baseline. It is shown from the simulations that the proposed methodology is effective in quantifying the impact of sensor faults within smart structures.