Multi-Stage Vibration Control Mechanism and Experimental Effectiveness of Viscous Damper with Overload Protector

Summary

Here, we present the design, testing, and application of a Viscous Damper with Overload Protector (VD-OP) for seismic isolation in structures. It includes mechanical modeling, prototype testing, and integration with high-damping rubber bearings to enhance seismic performance while limiting force transmission and maintaining structural integrity.

Abstract

This research presents an innovative hybrid seismic isolation system that integrates a viscous damper with overload protection (VD-OP) to improve seismic performance and overcome the limitations of traditional isolation methods. The VD-OP incorporates a displacement-dependent nonlinear damping mechanism and a force-limiting feature, effectively controlling excessive damping forces during high-velocity movements caused by varying seismic intensities. A mechanical model, calibrated using experimental data, is developed to replicate the nonlinear damping and overload protection characteristics of the VD-OP. Numerical simulations are validated through experimental testing, providing a solid foundation for optimizing parameters and evaluating performance. The findings show that the force-limiting function plays a critical role in reducing excessive forces on the isolation layer, improving isolation efficiency, and controlling acceleration responses in the superstructure. Parametric studies and case analyses across different seismic scenarios confirm the system's strong energy dissipation capabilities and adaptability, ensuring effective isolation during frequent earthquakes, controlled deformation under design-level events, and structural protection during severe earthquakes. The performance-based design approach proposed here offers practical guidance for the implementation of the VD-OP system, presenting a reliable solution to enhance the seismic resilience of engineering structures.

Introduction

Seismic isolation technology is recognized as an effective strategy for mitigating structural vibration during earthquakes, enhancing the safety and resilience of engineering structures^1,2,3. By introducing a flexible isolation layer between the superstructure and its foundation, seismic isolation reduces the transmission of seismic forces, effectively decoupling the building structures from ground motion^4,5,6. This mechanism leads to a significant reduction in structural acceleratio....

Protocol

Mechanical simulation method for the viscous damper with overload protector (VD-OP)
Device construction, working principle, and significance of the VD-OP

All components of the VD-OP are illustrated in Figure 1, including an outer tube, a piston rod, and damping oil. The outer tube is made from high-strength materials and used to enclose the internal components, ensuring a sealed environment to prevent oil leakage. The piston rod, usually composed of high-strength steel, reciprocates within the tube, connected to a piston that forces the damping oil through restrictive orifi....

Results

Parametric Analysis Outcomes of the VD-OP Device
Force-Velocity Relationship and Hysteretic Behavior (Figure 2):

As shown in Figure 2, the hysteresis curves demonstrate how the damper's energy dissipation behavior changes with different F_max values and displacement amplitudes. For smaller F

Discussion

This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the VD-OP (Figure 1, Figure 2, and Figure 3) in enhancing seismic resilience through controlled energy dissipation and force limitation. Experimental results (Figure 4, Figure 13, and Figure 14) confirm that the VD-OP mitigates excessive damping forces under high-velocity movements, reducing structur.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Dynamic test software	Shanghai Hualong	HDTS-v3.0	Compliant with GB/T 20688.1-2007
ETABS-Building analysis and design	Computer and Structures, Inc	19.0.2	For performance modeling and structural analysis
Load cell	Ningbo Saishi	C3M-3000	For experiments with 3000 kN capacity
LVDT	Shanghai Hualong	HLVDT1000	For experiments with ±1000 mm range and 0.01 mm resolution
Magnetostrictive sensor	MTS (USA)	MTS-R-Series	For experiments with ±800 mm travel
MATLAB	MathWorks	2024	For the calculation of the experiments
Servo-hydraulic actuator	Shanghai Hualong	YJW-20000	For experiments with ±800 mm stroke, ±2000 kN dynamic capacity