Performance of Linear and Nonlinear damper connected buildings under blast and seismic excitations

Abstract

During an earthquake, adjacent buildings with insufficient separations often collide into each imposing unexpected impact loading on buildings causing severe damage and even collapse of many buildings. In the present study, the passive control of closely spaced fixed base structures is investigated under the effects of earthquakes and blast-induced vibrations. The study analyzes two closely spaced dynamically dissimilar fixed base buildings connected using linear and nonlinear fluid viscous dampers when subjected to blast and seismic excitations. A parametric study on the damping coefficient of fluid dampers is conducted to obtain an optimum damping coefficient for linear and nonlinear fluid viscous dampers. The present study investigates the comparative performance behavior of the linear and nonlinear dampers in response reduction of adjacent buildings under blast and earthquake motions. The placement of dampers in the response mitigation due to the selected excitations is also reviewed. Results exhibit the efficiency of viscous dampers in reducing the structural responses of flexible buildings. It is also concluded that the placement of dampers at the top floor alone yields significant reduction in the structural responses when compared with the placement of dampers at all floors.