Semiactive fuzzy control of the seismic response of building frames with MR dampers

A fuzzy-logic control algorithm, based on the fuzzification of the MR damper characteristics, is presented for the semiactive control of building frames under seismic excitation. The MR damper characteristics are represented by forcevelocity and forcedisplacement curves obtained from the sinusoidal actuation test. The method does not require any analytical model of MR damper characteristics, such as the Bouc-Wen model, to be incorporated into the control algorithm. The control algorithm has a feedback structure and is implemented by using the fuzzy-logic and Simulink toolboxes of MATLAB. The performance of the algorithm is studied by using it to control the responses of two example buildings taken from the literaturea three-storey building frame, in which controlled responses are obtained by clipped-optimal control and a ten-storey building frame. The results indicate that the proposed scheme provides nearly the same percentage reduction of responses as that obtained by the clipped-optimal control with much less control force and much less command voltage. Position of the damper is found to significantly affect the controlled responses of the structure. It is observed that any increase in the damper capacity beyond a saturation level does not improve the performance of the controller. Copyright (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.