Seismic energy dissipation-based optimum design of tuned mass dampers

Tuned mass dampers (TMDs) are a subclass of dynamic vibration absorbers that consist of a mass-spring-damper unit that is attached to a structure to adjust its response to seismic and wind loads. The efficacy, performance and optimum design of a TMD strongly depend not only on its mass, stiffness and damping as well as the input energy and the structure characteristics, but also on the structural response parameter(s) that the TMD is intended to mitigate. In that respect, this study evaluates the suitability of four objective functions for the optimum design of the TMD of an inelastic, steel moment-resisting frame (SMRF) under an artificial, white-noise excitation. The objective functions include 1) the maximum roof lateral displacement, 2) the maximum drift, 3) the root mean square of drifts and 4) the cumulative hysteretic energy of the SMRF. The results indicate that the SMRF equipped with a TMD optimized using the cumulative hysteretic energy of the SMRF as the objective function exhibits the best seismic response under the artificial earthquake. Further examining the response of the TMD-equipped SMRF under four historic earthquake records shows that equipping a structure with a TMD optimized using an artificial earthquake will not warrant that the structure will exhibit a better seismic performance in all measures compared with when no TMD is used. Put other way, while the minimization of cumulative hysteretic energy could be the best objective function for a case subjected to an artificial earthquake, under real earthquakes, none of the objective functions consistently results in a better seismic performance. This behavior is attributed to detuning effects arising from major structural damages and significant period shifts that occur during strong earthquakes.