Title: Semiactive control of a base isolated building using magnetorheological dampers

Authors: Mauricio Zapateiro, Ningsu Luo, Hamid Reza Karimi

Addresses: Institute of Informatics and Applications, University of Girona, Girona 17071, Spain. ' Institute of Informatics and Applications, University of Girona, Girona 17071, Spain. ' Institute of Informatics and Applications, University of Girona, Girona 17071, Spain

Abstract: In this article, we present a methodology that leads to seismic vibration suppression of a class of base isolated civil structures by means of magnetorheological dampers. Magnetorheological dampers are versatile devices that generate damping force by controlling the rheological properties of the constituting magnetorheological fluid through a varying magnetic field. Magnetorheological dampers are more efficient than other devices in terms of energy requirements, damping force and mechanical design. However, they exhibit a complex behaviour, characterised by the hysteretic response to a velocity input, which is rather difficult to model. This in turn makes imperative the use of non-linear control techniques to achieve the final objective. In this article, Bouc–Wen model is used to describe the dynamics of an magnetorheological damper and adaptive backstepping controller is developed to explore its performance in seismic vibration suppression.

Keywords: adaptive backstepping control; Bouc–Wen model; identification; magnetorheological damping; semiactive control; seismic vibration suppression; modelling; nonlinear control; base isolated buildings; civil structures.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIC.2009.027023

International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, 2009 Vol.7 No.1, pp.41 - 48

Published online: 13 Jul 2009 *

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