• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.227-241
• /
• 2018

The present paper deals with the optimum performance of the passive hybrid control system for the benchmark highway bridge under the six earthquakes ground motion. The investigation is carried out on a simplified finite element model of the 91/5 highway overcrossing located in Southern California. A viscous fluid damper (known as VFD) or non-linear fluid viscous spring damper has been used as a passive supplement device associated with polynomial friction pendulum isolator (known as PFPI) to form a passive hybrid control system. A parametric study is considered to find out the optimum parameters of the PFPI system for the optimal response of the bridge. The effect of the velocity exponent of the VFD and non-linear FV spring damper on the response of the bridge is carried out by considering different values of velocity exponent. Further, the influences of damping coefficient and vibration period of the dampers are also examined on the response of the bridge. To study the effectiveness of the passive hybrid system on the response of the isolated bridge, it is compared with the corresponding PFPI isolated bridges. The investigation showed that passive supplement damper such as VFD or non-linear FV spring damper associated with PFPI system is significantly reducing the seismic response of the benchmark highway bridge. Further, it is also observed that non-linear FV spring damper hybrid system is a more promising strategy in reducing the response of the bridge compared to the VFD associated hybrid system.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.6 no.8
• /
• pp.953-974
• /
• 2010

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.