Development, testing and characterization of a novel rotational inertia sand damper (RISD) for structural vibration control

Abstract

Structural vibration control is an innovative technology designed to reduce vibrations of civil structures induced by external vibration sources such as earthquakes and wind. Unlike traditional methods that rely on structural strength and stiffness, this technology suppresses structural vibrations by employing energy dissipation devices. Over the past decades, various energy dissipation devices have been developed. However, there are many ongoing concerns about the long-term serviceability of these devices. For example, oil leakage of traditional viscous dampers is a common problem for oil dampers. For this reason, this paper proposes an innovative, cost-effective, and sustainable energy dissipation device, dubbed Rotational Inertia Sand Damper (RISD), by employing sand to dissipate seismic energy. The paper begins by presenting the conceptual design and working mechanism of RISD, followed by the development of its nonlinear mechanical model. Subsequently, experimental tests were conducted to characterize the mechanical behaviors of RISD, and the influences of configurations, excitation amplitudes and frequencies were comprehensively explored. Thereafter, the parameters in the nonlinear mechanical model are determined, and the accuracy of the model is validated by comparing the predicted analytical results with experimental data. The experimental and analytical results demonstrate that the proposed RISD has evident energy dissipation capacity, with velocity-independent and stable force output under varying excitation amplitudes and frequencies; and the developed nonlinear model is accurate in reproducing the mechanical behaviors of RISD. Owing to its exceptional performance, cost-effectiveness and sustainability, the proposed RISD emerges as a compelling alternative to traditional viscous dampers for ensuring the safety of structures against natural hazards.