Stability analysis of real-time hybrid simulation in consideration of time delays of actuator and shake table using delay differential equations

Real-time hybrid simulation evaluates the response of a structure in real time. In this study, a building with multi-story structure is divided into numerical and experimental substructures, and the vibration behavior of the experimental story is studied among the real-time simulation of the other stories. For applying the effect of static and inertial forces produced by the other stories to the experimental story, an electrohydraulic actuator and a shake table are used, respectively. The dynamics of the electrohydraulic actuator and the shake table can be estimated entirely by time delays, and these delays in the loop of simulation can reduce accuracy and cause system instability. Therefore, a delayed differential equation is used to determine the critical time delays depending on the system parameters. Results of simulation show the effect of non-dimensional parameters and time delays on the stability margin of hybrid simulation.