Parameter identification of new bidirectional tuned liquid column and sloshing dampers

A tuned liquid column and sloshing damper (TLCSD) is introduced in this study. It shows dynamic behavior of both tuned liquid column damper (TLCD) and tuned liquid damper (TLD) in the direction of two axes perpendicular with each other. As a preliminary study for applying the TLCSD to bidirectional control of building structures, one of objectives of this study is to derive analytical dynamics to investigate coupled effects due to TLCD and TLD. Another objective is to investigate the effect of coupled control force due to TLCD and TLD on the dynamic characteristic of the TLCSD based on analytical dynamics. Shaking table test is undertaken to experimentally grasp dynamic characteristics of TLCSD under white noise excitation with various amplitude levels. Its dynamic characteristics are expressed by the transfer function from the shaking table acceleration to the control force generated from a TLCSD. The analytical dynamics of TLCSD is derived from the equivalent linearized TMD model. The coupled dynamics of TLCSD is expressed in terms of those of both TLCD and TLD. Finally, the key parameters of both TLCD and TLD are identified based on the coupled dynamics proposed in this study, which include the mass ratio of horizontal liquid column to total liquid for a TLCD, and the participation factor of the fundamental liquid sloshing for a TLD and damping ratio for both cases. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.