Analog active valve control design for non-linear semi-active resetable devices

Geoffrey W. Rodgers,J. Geoffrey Chase,Sylvain Corman 국제구조공학회 2017 Smart Structures and Systems, An International Jou Vol.19 No.5

Semi-active devices use the building\'s own motion to produce resistive forces and are thus strictly dissipative and require little power. Devices that independently control the binary open/closed valve state can enable novel device hysteresis loops that were not previously possible. However, some device hysteresis loops cannot be obtained without active analog valve control allowing slower, controlled release of stored energy, and is presents an ongoing limitation in obtaining the full range of possibilities offered by these devices. This in silico study develops a proportional-derivative feedback control law using a validated nonlinear device model to track an ideal diamond-shaped force-displacement response profile using active analog valve control. It is validated by comparison to the ideal shape for both sinusoidal and random seismic input motions. Structural application specific spectral analysis compares the performance for the non-linear, actively controlled case to those obtained with an ideal, linear model to validate that the potential performance will be retained when considering realistic nonlinear behaviour and the designed valve control approach. Results show tracking of the device force-displacement loop to within 3-5% of the desired ideal curve. Valve delay, rather than control law design, is the primary limiting factor, and analysis indicates a ratio of valve delay to structural period must be 1/10 or smaller to ensure adequate tracking, relating valve performance to structural period and overall device performance under control. Overall, the results show that active analog feedback control of energy release in these devices can significantly increase the range of resetable, valve-controlled semi-active device performance and hysteresis loops, in turn increasing their performance envelop and application space.

Accuracy and robustness of hysteresis loop analysis in the identification and monitoring of plastic stiffness for highly nonlinear pinching structures

J. Geoffrey Chase,Hamish Tomlinson,Geoffrey W. Rodgers,Chao Xu,Virginie Avot,Cong Zhou 국제구조공학회 2023 Smart Structures and Systems, An International Jou Vol.31 No.2

Structural health monitoring (SHM) covers a range of damage detection strategies for buildings. In real-time, SHM provides a basis for rapid decision making to optimise the speed and economic efficiency of post-event response. Previous work introduced an SHM method based on identifying structural nonlinear hysteretic parameters and their evolution from structural force-deformation hysteresis loops in real-time. This research extends and generalises this method to investigate the impact of a wide range of flag-shaped or pinching shape nonlinear hysteretic response and its impact on the SHM accuracy. A particular focus is plastic stiffness (<i>k<sub>p</sup></>), where accurate identification of this parameter enables accurate identification of net and total plastic deformation and plastic energy dissipated, all of which are directly related to damage and infrequently assessed in SHM. A sensitivity study using a realistic seismic case study with known ground truth values investigates the impact of hysteresis loop shape, as well as added noise, on SHM accuracy using a suite of 20 ground motions from the PEER database. Monte Carlo analysis over 22,000 simulations with different hysteresis loops and added noise resulted in absolute percentage identification error (median, (IQR)) in <i>k<sub>p</sup></> of 1.88% (0.79, 4.94)%. Errors were larger where five events (Earthquakes #1, 6, 9, 14) have very large errors over 100% for resulted <i>k<sub>p</sup></> as an almost entirely linear response yielded only negligible plastic response, increasing identification error. The sensitivity analysis shows accuracy is reduces to within 3% when plastic drift is induced. This method shows clear potential to provide accurate, real-time metrics of non-linear stiffness and deformation to assist rapid damage assessment and decision making, utilising algorithms significantly simpler than previous non-linear structural model-based parameter identification SHM methods.

Experimentally validated FEA models of HF2V damage free steel connections for use in full structural analyses

Jonathan Desombre,Geoffrey W. Rodgers,Gregory A. MacRae,Timon Rabczuk,Rajesh P. Dhakal,J. Geoffrey Chase 국제구조공학회 2011 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.37 No.4

The aim of this research is to model the behaviour of recently developed high force to volume (HF2V) passive energy dissipation devices using a simple finite element (FE) model. Thus, the end result will be suitable for use in a standard FE code to enable computationally fast and efficient analysis and design. Two models are developed. First, a detailed axial model that models an experimental setup is created to validate the approach versus experimental results. Second, a computationally and geometrically simpler equivalent rotational hinge element model is presented. Both models are created in ABAQUS, a standard nonlinear FE code. The elastic, plastic and damping properties of the elements used to model the HF2V devices are based on results from a series of quasi-static force-displacement loops and velocity based tests of these HF2V devices. Comparison of the FE model results with the experimental results from a half scale steel beam-column sub-assembly are within 10% error. The rotational model matches the output of the more complex and computationally expensive axial element model. The simpler model will allow computationally efficient non-linear analysis of large structures with many degrees of freedom, while the more complex and physically accurate axial model will allow detailed analysis of joint connection architecture. Their high correlation to experimental results helps better guarantee the fidelity of the results of such investigations.

Experimentally validated FEA models of HF2V damage free steel connections for use in full structural analyses

Desombre, Jonathan,Rodgers, Geoffrey W.,MacRae, Gregory A.,Rabczuk, Timon,Dhakal, Rajesh P.,Chase, J. Geoffrey Techno-Press 2011 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.37 No.4

The aim of this research is to model the behaviour of recently developed high force to volume (HF2V) passive energy dissipation devices using a simple finite element (FE) model. Thus, the end result will be suitable for use in a standard FE code to enable computationally fast and efficient analysis and design. Two models are developed. First, a detailed axial model that models an experimental setup is created to validate the approach versus experimental results. Second, a computationally and geometrically simpler equivalent rotational hinge element model is presented. Both models are created in ABAQUS, a standard nonlinear FE code. The elastic, plastic and damping properties of the elements used to model the HF2V devices are based on results from a series of quasi-static force-displacement loops and velocity based tests of these HF2V devices. Comparison of the FE model results with the experimental results from a half scale steel beam-column sub-assembly are within 10% error. The rotational model matches the output of the more complex and computationally expensive axial element model. The simpler model will allow computationally efficient non-linear analysis of large structures with many degrees of freedom, while the more complex and physically accurate axial model will allow detailed analysis of joint connection architecture. Their high correlation to experimental results helps better guarantee the fidelity of the results of such investigations.

Overall damage identification of flag-shaped hysteresis systems under seismic excitation

Cong Zhou,J. Geoffrey Chase,Geoffrey W. Rodgers,Hamish Tomlinson,Chao Xu 국제구조공학회 2015 Smart Structures and Systems, An International Jou Vol.16 No.1

This research investigates the structural health monitoring of nonlinear structures after a major seismic event. It considers the identification of flag-shaped or pinched hysteresis behavior in response to structures as a more general case of a normal hysteresis curve without pinching. The method is based on the overall least squares methods and the log likelihood ratio test. In particular, the structural response is divided into different loading and unloading sub-half cycles. The overall least squares analysis is first implemented to obtain the minimum residual mean square estimates of structural parameters for each sub-half cycle with the number of segments assumed. The log likelihood ratio test is used to assess the likelihood of these nonlinear segments being true representations in the presence of noise and model error. The resulting regression coefficients for identified segmented regression models are finally used to obtain stiffness, yielding deformation and energy dissipation parameters. The performance of the method is illustrated using a single degree of freedom system and a suite of 20 earthquake records. RMS noise of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% is added to the response data to assess the robustness of the identification routine. The proposed method is computationally efficient and accurate in identifying the damage parameters within 10% average of the known values even with 20% added noise. The method requires no user input and could thus be automated and performed in real-time for each sub-half cycle, with results available effectively immediately after an event as well as during an event, if required.

Nonlinear spectral design analysis of a structure for hybrid self-centring device enabled structures

Farzin G. Golzar,Geoffrey W. Rodgers,J. Geoffrey Chase 국제구조공학회 2017 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.61 No.6

Seismic dissipation devices can play a crucial role in mitigating earthquake damages, loss of life and post-event repair and downtime costs. This research investigates the use of ring springs with high-force-to-volume (HF2V) dissipaters to create damage-free, recentring connections and structures. HF2V devices are passive rate-dependent extrusion-based devices with high energy absorption characteristics. Ring springs are passive energy dissipation devices with high self-centring capability to reduce the residual displacements. Dynamic behaviour of a system with nonlinear structural stiffness and supplemental hybrid damping via HF2V devices and ring spring dampers is used to investigate the design space and potential. HF2V devices are modelled with design forces equal to 5% and 10% of seismic weight and ring springs are modelled with loading stiffness values of 20% and 40% of initial structural stiffness and respective unloading stiffness of 7% and 14% of structural stiffness (equivalent to 35% of their loading stiffness). Using a suite of 20 design level earthquake ground motions, nonlinear response spectra for 8 different configurations are generated. Results show up to 50% reduction in peak displacements and greater than 80% reduction in residual displacements of augmented structure compared to the baseline structure. These gains come at a cost of a significant rise in the base shear values up to 200% mainly as a result of the force contributed by the supplemental devices.

Structural health monitoring for pinching structures via hysteretic mechanics models

Mohammad Rabiepour,Cong Zhou,James G. Chase,Geoffrey W. Rodgers,Chao Xu 국제구조공학회 2022 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.82 No.2

Many Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) methods have been proposed for structural damage diagnosis and prognosis. However, SHM for pinched hysteretic structures can be problematic due to the high level of nonlinearity. The model-free hysteresis loop analysis (HLA) has displayed notable robustness and accuracy in identifying damage for full-scaled and scaled test buildings. In this paper, the performance of HLA is compared with seven other SHM methods in identifying lateral elastic stiffness for a six-story numerical building with highly nonlinear pinching behavior. Two successive earthquakes are employed to compare the accuracy and consistency of methods within and between events. Robustness is assessed across sampling rates 50-1000 Hz in noise-free condition and then assessed with 10% root mean square (RMS) noise added to responses at 250 Hz sampling rate. Results confirm HLA is the most robust method to sampling rate and noise. HLA preserves high accuracy even when the sampling rate drops to 50 Hz, where the performance of other methods deteriorates considerably. In noisy conditions, the maximum absolute estimation error is less than 4% for HLA. The overall results show HLA has high robustness and accuracy for an extremely nonlinear, but realistic case compared to a range of leading and recent model-based and model-free methods.