Magnetorheological Damper for Performance Enhancement Against Seismic Forces

Abstract

In recent years, there were a huge loss of human life and infrastructures after earthquakes in the world. This has led to the need for building safer structure for livelihood. Many research were done on vibration control devices by taking into account factors like the viscous, friction and tuned mass dampers. Magnetorheological (MR) dampers have the ability to tune and adopt its mechanical properties by varying its magnetic field. For civil engineering application dampers with high damping force and low energy input are required. The results of experimental investigation carried out on a frame with 500 kN have been discussed in this paper. The damper used to be single piston shear mode, which was scaled down single bare RC frame. The damper was placed diagonally on the frame. When comparing the displacement in the RC frame with and without damper it is observed that 40 to 50% reduction in displacement is noticed. There is an increase in energy dissipation capacity from 45 to 60%, finally ultimate load carrying capacity and lateral stiffness was observed for the RC frame with MR damper.