Seismic response control of benchmark highway bridge using non-linear FV spring damper

Abstract

The benchmark structure used in this study is the lumped mass finite-element model of 91/5 highway overcrossing located at Southern California. The effectiveness of the non-linear fluid viscous (FV) spring damper on the benchmark highway bridge subjected to six bi-directional ground motion is investigated. A parametric study is carried out to find the optimum vibration period, the damping coefficient and the velocity exponent of the FV spring damper. The methodology of the technique is to achieve adequate energy dissipation by combining the stiffness and viscous damping effect in one system. Combination of a horizontal elliptical hysteresis loops of the non-linear viscous damper plus elastic stiffness of the spring produce a dynamic inclined hysteresis loop, which has no permanent displacement at the end of the excitation. Due to inclined hysteresis loop, non-linear FV spring damper has significantly reduced the responses, such as, base shear, mid-span displacement and especially abutment displacement of ...