Earthquakes and Structures

Volume 25, Number 6, 2023, pages 399-415

DOI: 10.12989/eas.2023.25.6.399

Optimization of base-isolated structure with negative stiffness tuned inerter damper targeting seismic response reduction

Jean Paul Irakoze, Shujin Li, Wuchuan Pu, Patrice Nyangi and Amédée Sibomana

Abstract

In this study, we investigate the use of a negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system to improve the performance of a base-isolated structure. The negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system consists of a tuned inerter damper connected in parallel with a negative stiffness element. To find the optimal parameters for the base-isolated structure with negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system, we develop an optimization method based on performance criteria. The objective of the optimization is to minimize the superstructure acceleration response ratio, while ensuring that the base displacement response ratio remains below a specified target value. We evaluate the proposed method by conducting numerical analyses on an eight-story building. The structure is modeled using both a simplified 3-degree-of-freedom system and a more detailed story-by-story shear-beam model. Lastly, a comparative analysis using time history analysis is performed to compare the performance of the base-isolated structure with negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system with that of the base-isolated structure and base-isolated structure with tuned inerter damper systems. The results obtained from the comparative analysis show that the negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system outperforms the tuned inerter damper system in reducing the dynamic seismic response of the base-isolated structure. Overall, this study demonstrates that the negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system can effectively enhance the performance of base-isolated structures, providing improved seismic response reduction compared to other systems.

Key Words

base-isolated structure; negative stiffness; optimization; seismic response; tuned inerter damper

Address

Jean Paul Irakoze, Shujin Li, Wuchuan Pu and Amédée Sibomana: School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China Patrice Nyangi: Civil Engineering Department, Mbeya University of Science and Technology, Tanzania