• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
• /
• 2008.04a
• /
• pp.449-457
• /
• 2008

In this paper, a tuned liquid1) mass damper(TLMD) was proposed and experimentally investigated on its control performance, which can control bi-axial responses of building structures by using only one device. The proposed TLMD controls the structural response in a specific one direction by using a liquid sloshing of TLCD. Also, the TLMD reduces the response of structures in the other orthogonal direction by behaving as a TMD that uses mass of the container itself and liquid within container of TLCD installed on linear motion guides. Force-vibration tests on a real-sized structure installed with the TLMD were performed to verify its independent behavior in two orthogonal directions. Test results showed that the responses of a structure were considerably reduced by using the proposed TLMD and its usefulness for structural control in two orthogonal directions.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.71-104
• /
• 2012

In this research, a typical tension-leg type of floating platform incorporated with an innovative concept of underwater tuned liquid column damper system (UWTLCD) is studied. The purpose of this study is to improve the structural safety by means of mitigating the wave induced vibrations and stresses on the offshore floating Tension Leg Platform (TLP) system. Based on some encouraging results from a previous study, where a Tuned Liquid Column Damper (TLCD) system was employed in a floating platform system to reduce the vibration of the main structure, in this study, the traditional TLCD system was modified and tested. Firstly, the orifice-tube was replaced with a smaller horizontal tube and secondly, the TLCD system was combined into the pontoon system under the platform. The modification creates a multipurpose pontoon system associated with vibration mitigation function. On the other hand, the UWTLCD that is installed underwater instead would not occupy any additional space on the platform and yet provide buoyancy to the system. Experimental tests were performed for the mitigation effect and parameters besides the wave conditions, such as pontoon draught and liquid-length in the TLCD were taken into account in the test. It is found that the accurately tuned UWTLCD system could effectively reduce the dynamic response of the offshore platform system in terms of both the vibration amplitude and tensile forces measured in the mooring tethers.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.513-519
• /
• 2016

In this study, dynamic vertical displacement of liquid in the tuned liquid column damper(TLCD) is measured by a laser Doppler vibrometer(LDV) to overcome limitations of existing sensors and to leverage noncontact sensing. Addressing advantages of noncontact measurements, operational principles of the LDV to measure velocity and displacement of a target object in motion is explained. The feasibility of application of the LDV to measurement of liquid motion in the TLCD is experimentally explored. A series of shake table tests with the TLCD are performed to determine requirements of application of the LDV. Based on the experimental results, it is proved that the LDV works under the condition of adding dye to the liquid by increasing the intensity of reflected laser and thus validity is verified by comparison with a conventional wave height meter.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.15-24
• /
• 2009

The results of a simulation study of variable liquid column oscillations in U-tanks with a novel control scheme are presented. The configuration under investigation is analogous to that of the tuned liquid-column damper used to suppress oscillatory motion in large structures like tall buildings and cargo ships. However, by virtue of an adequate controller, the response of amplitude of the U-tanks becomes larger in a desired frequency range. The motion of wave energy conversion system equipped with a variable liquid column oscillator is described by a series of nonlinear differential equations. The equations describe the motion of body under ocean wave excitation, and the motion of liquid with an air-spring effect caused by the compression and expansion of air in vertical liquid columns and air chambers. It is shown that the effect of the air-spring has a vital role to maintain the natural frequency of oscillation in the system to synchronize with the frequency of the ocean wave, thus the system provides the most effective mode for energy extraction from the ocean.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.77-93
• /
• 1998

Some design formulas and design procedures for single and multiple tuned liquid column dampers (TLCDs) are proposed in this study. Previous studies show that if the properties of the TLCD system are properly selected then the TLCD could be as effective as the traditional tuned mass dampers. In addition, the TLCD system offers advantages such as flexibility in terms of installation, little maintenance required, and potentials for multiple usage, etc., which are incomparable by other mechanical types of dampers. In this paper, a set of optimal properties such as length and head loss of a TLCD system are derived under the assumption that the building vibrates in a dominate mode and is subjected to Gaussian white noise excitation. A design procedure for a single TLCD system will be illustrated and discussed. Due to the nonlinearity in the damping term, the TLCD system is sensitive to the loading intensity. This loading sensitivity could limit the application range of the TLCD system. It will be shown in this paper that such a nonlinear effect can be reduced by using multiple TLCDs. As a demonstrative example, the control effects on a flexible building modeled as a single degree-of-freedom system subjected to white noise excitation will be analyzed and discussed using single or multiple TLCDs.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.71-90
• /
• 2003

In recent years, high-strength, light-weight materials have been widely used in the construction of high-rise buildings. Such structures generally have flexible, low-damping characteristics. Consequently, wind-induced oscillation greatly affects the structural safety and the comfort of the building's occupants. In this research, wind tunnel experiments were carried out to study the wind-induced vibration of a building with a tuned liquid column damper (TLCD). Then, a model for predicting the aerodynamic response in the across-wind direction was generated. Finally, a computing procedure was developed for the analytical modeling of the structural oscillation in a building with a TLCD under the wind load. The model agrees substantially with the experimental results. Therefore, it may be used to accurately calculate the structural response. Results from this investigation show that the TLCD is more advantageous for reducing the across-wind vibration than the along-wind oscillation. When the across-wind aerodynamic effects are considered, the TLCD more effectively controls the aerodynamic response. Moreover, it is also more useful in suppressing the acceleration than the displacement in biaxial directions. As s result, TLCDs are effective devices for reducing the wind-induced vibration in buildings. Parametric studies have also been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the TLCD in suppressing the structural oscillation. This study may help engineers to more correctly predict the aerodynamic response of high-rise buildings as well as select the most appropriate TLCDs for reducing the structural vibration under the wind load. It may also improve the understanding of wind-structure interactions and wind resistant designs for high-rise buildings.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.165-188
• /
• 2012

In the first part of the paper, the optimal design parameters for tuned liquid column dampers (TLCD) in harmonic pitching motion were investigated. The configurations in design tables include uniform and non-uniform TLCDs with cross-sectional ratios of 0.3, 0.6, 1, 2 and 3 for the design in different situations. A closed-form solution of the structural response was used for performing numerical optimization. The results from optimization indicate that the optimal structural response always occurs when the two resonant peaks along the frequency axis are equal. The optimal frequency tuning ratio, optimal head loss coefficient, the corresponding response and other useful quantities are constructed in design tables as a guideline for practitioners. As the value of the head loss coefficient is only available through experiments, in the second part of the paper, the prediction of head loss coefficients in the form of a design chart are proposed based on a series of large scale tests in pitching base motions, aiming to ease the predicament of lacking the information of head loss for those who wishes to make designs without going through experimentation. A large extent of TLCDs with cross-sectional ratios of 0.3, 0.6, 1, 2 and 3 and orifice blocking ratios ranging from 0%, 20%, 40%, 60% to 80% were inspected by means of a closed-form solution under harmonic base motion for identification. For the convenience of practical use, the corresponding empirical formulas for predicting head loss coefficients of TLCDs in relation to the cross-sectional ratio and the orifice blocking ratio were also proposed. For supplemental information to horizontal base motion, the relation of head loss values versus blocking ratios and the corresponding empirical formulas were also presented in the end.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.5-10
• /
• 2016

The structure of the variable liquid column oscillator(VLCO) is analogous to that of the tuned liquid column damper used to suppress oscillatory motion in large structures like tall buildings and cargo ships. VLCO is using the technology which absorbs high potential energy made by process of accelerated motions effect of air spring by installation of inner air chamber. So, the application of VLCO can improve the efficiency of energy than that of wave energy converters made in Pelamis Company. In this research, experiments were performed for the models which have two different liquid column sizes. In order to find out the biggest motion response, two major conditions are taken into account. Two conditions are to open(or close) the valves and to differentiate the height of the liquid column.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.14 no.5
• /
• pp.435-447
• /
• 2011

A Computational Fluid Dynamics model is presented in this study for the simulation of the complex fluid flows with free surfaces inside the Tuned Liquid Column Dampers in horizontal motion. The characteristics of the fluid model of the TLCD in horizontal motion include the free surface of the multiphase flow and the horizontal moving frame. In this study, the time depend unsteady Standard ${\kappa}-{\varepsilon}$ turbulent model based on Navier-Stokes equations is chosen. The volume of fluid (VOF) method and sliding mesh technique are adopted to track the free surface of water inside the vertical columns of TLCD and treat the moving boundary of the walls of TLCD in horizontal motion. Several model solution parameters comprising different time steps, mesh sizes, convergence criteria and discretization schemes are examined to establish model parametric independency results. The simulation results are compared with the experimental data in the dimensionless amplitude of the water column in four different configured groups of TLCDs with four different orifice areas. The predicted natural frequencies and the head loss coefficient of TLCDs from CFD model are also compared with the experimental data. The predicted numerical results agree well with the available experimental data.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.103-107
• /
• 2013

The structure of a variable liquid column oscillator(a VLCO) is analogous to that of the tuned liquid column damper used to suppress oscillatory motion in large structures like tall buildings and cargo ships. The VLCO is a system absorbing high kinetic energy of accelerated motions of multiple floating bodies in the effect of air springs occurred by installation of inner air chambers. Thus, VLCO can improve the efficiency of energy than wave energy converters of the activating object type made in Pelamis Company. In this research, the experiment was performed that a simple floating body was filled with internal fluid of same draft. The characteristics of motions were evaluated in each case of the opening or closing of the upper valves.