Seismic response control of adjacent buildings linked by fluid dampers

A comprehensive experimental investigation on dynamic characteristics and seismic response of adjacent buildings linked by fluid dampers is carried out on a 4m × 4m seismic simulator. The control performance of fluid dampers is evaluated through the comparison of dynamic characteristics and seismic responses of adjacent buildings linked by fluid dampers, linked by rigid rods, and without any connections. The experimental results show that the installation of fluid dampers can significantly reduce the seismic responses of both buildings and keep their natural frequencies almost unchanged if the related parameters of dampers and buildings can be appropriately selected. As a continuing study of the test investigation in which all test cases are limited to linear elastic adjacent buildings only, elasto-plastic seismic response of adjacent buildings linked by fluid dampers are numerically computed. A nonlinear finite element planar model using plastic beam element and linear viscous-velocity damper element is used in the computation to simulate two steel frames connected by fluid dampers. The computational results show that not only in linear elastic stage but also in elasto-plastic stage, the seismic resistant performance of the two steel frames can be evidently enhanced if they are properly linked by fluid dampers with appropriate parameters although the control effect of fluid dampers in elasto-plastic stage is inferior to that in elastic stage.