Performance Evaluation of Negative Stiffness-Based Vibration Control Devices for Seismic Protection of Building Structures

Abstract

In this research work, the KDamper concept is extended and applied to multiple floors of an existing midrise storey benchmark building. Inspired by the concept of MTMDs, multiple EKDs (d-EKDs) are installed and distributed along the height of the aforementioned structure, aiming to seismically protect it. The design and spatial allocation of the EKDs is based on a Harmony Search (HS) algorithm that provides optimal parameters of the device based on constraints and limitations imposed by the structure and the installed mechanisms. A number of Eurocode 8 compatible accelerograms are generated and introduced as input to the optimization process of the EKDs installed in the benchmark structure. Based on the numerical results obtained, the d-EKD concept, outperforms the d-TMD in reducing the structural dynamic responses, introducing one order of magnitude smaller added oscillating masses.