Distributed Multiple Tuned Mass Dampers for Wind Vibration Response Control of High-Rise Building

Multiple tuned mass dampers (MTMDs) distributed along height of a high-rise building are investigated for their effectiveness in vibration response control. A 76-storey benchmark building is modeled as shear type structure with a lateral degree of freedom at each floor, and tuned mass dampers (TMDs) are installed at top/different floors. Suitable locations for installing the TMDs and their tuning frequencies are identified based, respectively, on the mode shapes and frequencies of the uncontrolled and controlled buildings. Multimode control strategy has been adopted, wherein each TMD is placed where the mode shape amplitude of the building is the largest or large in the particular mode being controlled and tuned with the corresponding modal frequency. Newmark’s method is used to solve the governing equations of motion for the structure. The performance of the distributed MTMDs (d-MTMDs) is compared with single tuned mass damper (STMD) and all the MTMDs placed at top floor. The variations of top floor acceleration and displacement under wind loads are computed to study the effectiveness of the MTMDs in vibration control of the high-rise building. It is concluded that the d-MTMDs are more effective to control wind induced vibration than the STMD and the MTMDs placed at top floor. 1. Introduction The buildings are built taller, lighter, and slender as per modern world requirement, with the use of advanced technology, knowledge of new materials, and analysis software, which have assured safe constructions and comfort to human life. In the tall buildings, wind and earthquake borne vibrations are typically controlled by the use of tuned mass dampers (TMDs). The well-established concept of TMDs was originated since an attempt made by Frahm [1]. Much later, Randall et al. [2] have computationally investigated optimal linear vibration absorber for linear damped primary system. The studies on optimum control of absorbers continued over the years and different approaches have been proposed by the researchers. Tsai and Lin [3] concluded that the optimum absorber can reduce the peak response for input frequencies near the natural frequency of the main system. They also showed that, for lower input frequencies, response amplitudes may amplify. Moreover, they concluded that when the main system had high damping, vibration absorber was less effective in reducing the system response. Soong and Dargush [4] concluded that the TMDs are most effective when the first mode contribution to the response is dominant. This is generally the case for tall, slender structural