Most of the current research on active structural control for aseismic protection has focused on either full state feedback strategies or velocity feedback strategies. However, accurate measurement of the necessary displacements and velocities of the structure is difficult to achieve directly, particularly during seismic activity. Because accelerometers are inexpensive and can readily provide reliable measurement of the structural accelerations at strategic points on the structure, development of control methods based on acceleration feedback is an ideal solution to this problem. Recent studies of active bracing and active tendon systems have shown that /LQG frequency domain control methods employing acceleration feedback can effectively be used for aseismic protection of structures. This paper demonstrates experimentally the efficacy of acceleration feedback based active mass driver systems in reducing the response of seismically excited structures.
A PDF verson of this paper is available for downloading (approximate size 418 kB).
Video Clip of Control Experiment - MPEG, 1.3 MB This video clip demonstrates the effectiveness of the Active Mass Driver System for Structural Control through use of a split screen display. The top image shows the uncontrolled response, while the bottom image displays the response to the same ground excitation, but this time with control on.
