Tuned liquid dampers with a Keulegan–Carpenter number-dependent screen drag coefficient

Abstract

The amplitude-dependent damping associated with a tuned liquid damper (TLD) equipped with slat-type screens produces a device that performs optimally at a targeted response amplitude. Increasing the slat height produces a screen whose drag coefficient is dependent on the Keulegan–Carpenter number (KC), which may improve the TLD performance. This new type of TLD is modeled as an equivalent mechanical model with damping that is dependent on both KC and the response amplitude. An experimental shake table testing program is undertaken to study the influence of KC on the TLD response and to validate the model. A power fit is performed on the experimentally determined screen drag coefficient and KC values to express the drag coefficient as a function of KC and the steady flow drag coefficient. Predicted frequency response plots of sloshing forces and energy dissipation per cycle are in agreement with experimental results. A structure–TLD system model is developed to theoretically study the performance of this new TLD. Nonlinear shallow water wave theory is used to validate the output of the mechanical model. Results indicate that a KC-dependent screen drag coefficient produces a more robust TLD whose performance is maintained over a broader range of structural response amplitudes.