Effects of Bracing Stiffness and Viscoelastic Damping on Enhancing Vibration Control in Buildings
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study investigates the synergistic effects of viscoelastic damping and bracing stiffness on enhancing vibration control in tall buildings. The research transitions from a theoretical single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system to a practical application on a 50-story high-rise building model. Numerical simulations were constructed using Maxwell damper models in MATLAB, systematically varying damping coefficients and spring stiffness. For the SDOF system, an optimal stiffness ratio (km/k) of approximately 0.4 was identified, which effectively balanced acceleration and displacement responses. This optimal ratio varied with the excitation frequency ratio (ω/ωn) and load type: for wind excitations (ω/ωn<0.8), km/k≈0.2 was most effective, whereas for earthquake excitations (ω/ωn>0.8), km/k>10 proved beneficial. Here, it is shown that the integration of a magnetorheological (MR) damper with a bracing system significantly enhances the modal damping ratio from 1% to 10% in the finite-element model of the building. The findings reveal that a decentralized control law optimally reduces accelerations under wind loads, marking a departure from previous assumptions about damping effectiveness in high-rise structures. Furthermore, incorporating realistic bracing elements within the damping system led to an additional reduction in acceleration responses by up to 10%, significantly improving energy dissipation under dynamic loading conditions. These results underscore practical strategies for enhancing the safety and resilience of high-rise buildings, with implications extending to diverse architectural contexts and other structures subjected to dynamic forces, including long-span bridges and industrial facilities. This research not only advances our understanding of vibration control mechanisms but also provides a foundation for future developments in structural engineering practices.
Author: Aly Mousaad Aly
Institution: Louisiana State University
Language: English
Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4407317865