An international collaboration between a Universidad del Valle graduate and a professor at the same institution has resulted in a first step towards cheaper and lighter seismic damping.
The global market size for seismic protection devices is expected to reach USD 1,525.4 million by 2023. By 2033, its value is expected to exceed USD 2,220.8 million, according to a market report by Future Market Insights. (FMI).
But there is a challenge in finding devices that are lightweight and do not require energy to operate. That's why researchers are exploring NES (Nonlinear Energy Sinks) devices.
Eliot Motato, assistant professor of Engineering at the University of Indianapolis and Fabio G. Guerrero, professor at the Faculty of Engineering of Univalle, linked to the Telecommunication Systems Research Group, SISTEL-UV worked together to study the performance of NES energy absorbers by simulating seismic activity within the parameterisation of European building standards to mathematically test the response of the energy absorbing devices.
“Se generaron por software muestras aleatorias de sismos que satisfacen la norma Eurocode 8, usando la teoría matemática de procesos estocásticos”, dijo Guerrero.
The Research
In a publication entitled "Numerical Tuning of Nonlinear Energy Sinks in Shear Buildings" in the Journal of Vibration Engineering & Technologies, the researchers combined Professor Guerrero's expertise in random signals and stochastic processes with Professor Motato's expertise in nonlinear vibration absorber design and structural analysis.
The result of this work was a mathematical model that simulated how nonlinear energy sinks react under different seismic conditions in a simulated three-storey structure.
It is essential to mitigate seismic risk in new and existing structures in the country, because almost 83% of Colombia's population lives in intermediate and high seismic hazard zones, according to the country's District Institute for Risk Management and Climate Change.
Professor Guerrero, from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, explained that since the analysis of random signals and stochastic processes is used in communications theory, he applied these skills to the seismic modelling project.
"We developed a signal generation algorithm within Eurocode-8, the European Union building standard," which was used to excite the model of a structure coupled with NES devices, Professor Guerrero said.
The researchers state that the use of multiple NES interacting with the same structure is an effective method of seismic vibration control because each energy sink is tuned to a different energy level, providing robust vibration attenuation against random excitations over a wider range of input energy intensities.
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Read more from the School of Civil and Geomatic Engineering: Better mathematical modeling is a step towards better seismic resistance in Colombia |
The Future
Professor Motato explained that the goal now is to build a 10-storey scale model in the US coupled to an NES prototype in order to experimentally validate the performance of these devices to changes in operating conditions and changes in device parameters.
"One of these advantages is that it is passive, it doesn't need electrical power and these devices can be very cheap and you can put them in structures that have vulnerability," Prof Motato said.
The researchers hope that these devices, which are much lighter and smaller than other forms of damping, could one day be implemented in new and renovated buildings in Cali, Colombia.
Years ago, Professor Motato studied in the Master's programme in Automatic Engineering and met Professor Guerrero, developing a collaboration that resulted in scientific production.
"My time at Univalle was enjoyable and I always remember fondly all the professors who contributed to my education," Prof Motato said.
The researchers want to involve Univalle students in the research that came out of this scientific publication.
"We would like to involve Univalle students to continue working on this topic, and thus contribute to the development of the region in this area," said the professors.y
If you are interested in contacting the researcher or learning more about the project, please write to the Communications Office Faculty of Engineering: comunicaingenieria(at)correounivalle.edu.co
Cover photo: Professor Fabio G. Guerrero. Credit: Andrew James/NCC-FI/Univalle
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