MR Tuned Liquid Colum Damper (MR-TLCD) for Seismic Vibration Control

Seismic vibration control of flexible structure is an important aspect which mostly involves reduction of structure displacement via application of passive damper or mass dampers. Present study focuses on the seismic vibration control of flexible structure against random earthquake, through modified (using MR fluid) tuned liquid column damper (TLCD), known as the MR-TLCD. To this end, stochastic structural response analysis has been performed and results (structure displacement ratio and liquid displacement) are compared with conventional the TLCD. To establish the superior control efficiency of MR-TLCD over conventional TLCD, parametric study has been performed considering wide range of damper, structure, and earthquake loading parameters. Study results shows the existence of optimal value of tuning ratio, head loss coefficient, and yield shear strength of MR fluid of MR-TLCD which minimizes the structure displacement ratio, i.e. maximizes the control efficiency. Another important observation is that, for similar level of control efficiency MR-TLCD requires much less value of mass ratio than that of TLCD, and also at same time it keeps the liquid displacement much less compared to the TLCD, for same value of mass ratio. This aspect increases the applicability of MR-TLCD over TLCD for vibration control of the flexible structure. In comparison to the TLCD, MR-TLCD provides 17 % to 43 % higher structural displacement control efficiency and reduces liquid displacement by 14 % to 45 %.