Lumped-mass Finite Element Model Research Articles

Seismic Vibration Mitigation of Wind Turbine Tower Using Bi-Directional Tuned Mass Dampers

Wind turbines have been increasingly erected in earthquake regions to harvest abundant wind energy. However, the wind turbine tower is slender and lightly damping, which exhibits high susceptibility to earthquake-induced vibration. It is challenging to mitigate the seismic vibration of the tower. In this study, a bi-directional tuned mass damper (BTMD) is proposed to mitigate the seismic vibration of the wind turbine tower. Meanwhile, a lumped-mass finite element model (LFEM) and a coupled blade tower finite element model (CBFEM) are used to investigate the vibration mitigation performance of the BTMD. First, the BTMD and corresponding dynamic equilibrium equations are systemically introduced. Accordingly, the optimum stiffness and damping of the BTMD at different mass ratios are investigated. Then, the dynamic prosperities of the LFEM and CBFEM are compared. Subsequently, the seismic responses of the wind turbine with the BTMD are conducted using the LFEM and CBFEM. Meanwhile, the mitigation performances of the BTMD under uni- and bi-directional earthquakes are investigated. The displacement, acceleration, and bending moment of the wind turbine tower are analyzed in time domain and frequency domain. Note that the influential factors, including mass ratio and structural frequency, on the vibration mitigation performance of the BTMD are investigated. Results show that the proposed BTMD can significantly mitigate the peak values of the top displacement and bottom bending moment. However, the blade tower coupling effect and frequency variation of the tower would have influences on the mitigation efficiency of the BTMD. The results enable a better understanding of the seismic vibration mitigation of the wind turbine tower using tuned mass dampers.

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

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 ...

Control of seismically excited benchmark highway bridge with variable frequency pendulum isolator

Earthquake response of benchmark highway bridge, isolated with variable frequency pendulum isolator (VFPI) is investigated under six earthquakes, using a simplified lumped mass finite element model. The isolators are installed between deck-ends and abutments. Seismic response of the bridge with VFPI is compared with that of the bridge with the friction pendulum system (FPS). Parametric studies are carried to find the optimum values of coefficient of friction and isolation period of the FPS; and frequency variation factor, initial time period and coefficient of friction of VFPI. The response of the bridge with VFPI is compared with the uncontrolled case, with FPS, and that controlled by alternate sample control strategies. Significant reductions in base shear, base moment, deck displacements and bearing displacements are observed using FPS and VFPI. It is concluded that these isolators are quite effective in substantially reducing peak response quantities of the bridge, comparable to that of the sample controllers.

Seismic performance of benchmark highway bridge installed with piezoelectric friction dampers

Dynamic response of the benchmark highway bridge installed with semi-active piezoelectric friction dampers (PFDs) is investigated under six bidirectional earthquake ground motions. PFD utilises the response of the structure to develop control actions by adjusting frictional damping characteristics of the system. Conventional friction dampers abruptly fluctuate between stick-slip states. On the other hand, PFDs change the friction force continuously and smoothly. The study is based on the simplified lumped mass finite-element model of the 91/5 highway bridge, located in Southern California. The parameters affecting the performance of PFDs are gain factors, coefficient of friction and the preload on damper. Exhaustive studies are carried out to determine the most optimum values of these parameters. Eight dampers are installed at each deck-end and abutment junction (phase I). Additional four dampers are installed at the centre (phase II), at the junction of bent beam and piers of the bridge. In each case, th...

Seismic response control of benchmark highway bridge using variable dampers

The performance of variable dampers for seismic protection of the benchmark highway bridge (phase I) under six real earthquake ground motions is presented. A simplified lumped mass finite-element model of the 91/5 highway bridge in Southern California is used for the investigation. A variable damper, developed from magnetorheological (MR) damper is used as a semi-active control device and its effectiveness with friction force schemes is investigated. A velocity-dependent damping model of variable damper is used. The effects of friction damping of the variable damper on the seismic response of the bridge are examined by taking different values of friction force, step-coefficient and transitional velocity of the damper. The seismic responses with variable dampers are compared with the corresponding uncontrolled case, and controlled by alternate sample control strategies. The results of investigation clearly indicate that the base shear, base moment and mid-span displacement are substantially reduced. In particular, the reduction in the bearing displacement is quite significant. The friction and the two-step friction force schemes of variable damper are found to be quite effective in reducing the peak response quantities of the bridge to a level similar to or better than that of the sample passive, semi-active and active controllers.

Response of an isolated cable-stayed bridge under bi-directional seismic actions

This paper investigates the effectiveness and limitations of seismic isolation for the earthquake protection of a cable-stayed bridge under bi-directional seismic actions. A simplified lumped mass finite element model of the Quincy Bay-view Bridge at Illinois is developed for the investigation. The deck of the bridge is isolated from the towers by using elastomeric and sliding isolation systems. For the non-linear isolation systems, the interaction between the restoring forces in two orthogonal horizontal directions is duly considered in the response analysis. The seismic response of the bridge is obtained by solving the governing equations of motion in the incremental form using an iterative step-by-step method. A parametric study is also performed by varying important parameters of the isolation systems. The seismic response of the isolated cable-stayed bridge is compared with the corresponding response of the bridge without isolation systems. The results of the investigation indicate that the peak base shear response of the towers and deck accelerations are significantly reduced by the isolation. The displacement response of the hysteretic isolation systems is found to be increased when the bi-directional interaction of the bearing force is considered in the response analysis. Furthermore, it is also found that the response of the bridge is significantly affected by the variation in the parameters of the isolation systems.

Seismic control of cable-stayed bridge using semi-active hybrid system

In this paper, the efficacy of semi-active hybrid control system for seismic protection of cable-stayed bridge is examined. The investigation is carried out on a simplified lumped mass finite element model of the Quincy Bay-view Bridge at Illinois. T