Chez Renault, pour réaliser les études amont, les équipes en charge de la prestation du choc automobile disposent de modèles très simples leur permettant de pré-dimensionner le véhicule. Aujourd'hui, ils sont construits à partir du comportement d'un ou quelques véhicules de référence. Ils sont fonctionnels et permettent le dimensionnement. Mais à présent, l'entreprise souhaite construire ses modèles amont en s'appuyant sur l'ensemble de ses véhicules. En d'autres termes, elle souhaite disposer d'une méthode d'analyse automatique de simulations de crashtests afin de capitaliser leurs résultats dans une base de données de modèles simplifiés.Pour répondre à cet objectif, nous développons une méthode permettant d'extraire des simulations de crashtests les données nécessaires à la construction d'un modèle multi-corps de substitution : CrashScan. Le processus d'analyse implémenté dans CrashScan se résume en trois étapes majeures.La première consiste à identifier l'ensemble des zones peu déformées sur une simulation de crashtest. Cela nous permet de dresser le graphe topologique du futur modèle de substitution. La seconde étape est une analyse des cinématiques relatives entre les portions peu déformées : les directions principales et les modes de déformation (e.g. compression, flexion) sont identifiés en analysant le mouvement relatif. La dernière étape consiste à analyser les efforts et les moments situés entre les zones peu déformées dans les repères associés aux directions principales des déformations en fonction des déformations. Cela nous permet d'identifier des modèles hystérétiques de Bouc-Wen équivalents. Ces modèles disposent de trois paramètres utiles dans notre cas : une raideur, un effort seuil avant plastification et une pente d'écrouissage. Ces paramètres peuvent être utilisés directement par les experts des études amont.Enfin, nous construisons les modèles multi-corps de substitution pour trois cas d'étude différents. Nous les comparons alors à leur référence sur les résultats qu'ils fournissent pour les critères utilisés en amont : les modèles générés par CrashScan semblent apporter la précision et la fidélité nécessaires pour être utilisés en amont du développement automobile.Pour poursuivre ces travaux de recherche et aboutir à une solution industrielle, il reste néanmoins des verrous à lever dont les principaux sont la synthèse d'un mouvement quelconque en six mouvements élémentaires et la synthèse multi-corps sur des éléments autres que des poutres. / At Renault, to fulfill upstream studies, teams in charge of crashworthiness use very simple models to pre-size the vehicle. Today, these models are built from the physical behavior of only one or some reference vehicles. They work and allow to size the project. But today, the company wishes to build its upstream models using all its vehicles. In other words, it wishes to get an automatic method to analyze crashtests simulations to capitalize their results in a database of simplified models.To meet this goal, we decide to use the multi-body model theory. We develop a method to analyze crashtests simulations in order to extract the data required to build a surrogate multi-body model : CrashScan. The analysis process implemented in CrashScan can be split into three major steps.The first one allows to identify the low deformed zones on a crashtest simulation. Then, we can build the topological graph of the future surrogate model. The second step is to analyze the relative kinematics between the low deformed zones : major directions and deformation modes (e.g. crushing or bending) are identified analysing relative movements. The last step is to analyze strengths and moments located between the low deformed zones, viewed in the frames associated to the major directions of deformations in function of the deformations. This allows us to identify equivalent Bouc-Wen hysteretic models. These models have three parameters that we can use : a stiffness, a threshold strength before plastification and a strain of hardening. These parameters can directly be used by upstream studies experts.Finally, we build multi-body models for three different use case. We compare them to their reference over the results they produce for the upstream criteria : models generated with CrashScan seems to grant the precision and the fidelity required to be used during automotive development's upstream phases.To continue this research work and get an industrial solution, there are still some locks to lift, the main ones are : synthesis of any movement into six elementary ones and multi-body synthesis on elements other than beams.

[pt] A redução de deslocamentos e acelerações em edifícios é um aspecto de vital importância no projeto de estruturas sob a ação de sismos. Assim, o controle de vibrações de estruturas em regiões sujeitas a eventos sísmicos tem se tornado um importante tema de pesquisa em engenharia. Dentre os mecanismos propostos para a redução de vibrações em estruturas, encontram-se os amortecedores magnetoreológicos (MR). Amortecedores magnetoreológicos são dispositivos passivos ou semiativos que controlam as vibrações com um consumo mínimo de energia. Estes mecanismos são caracterizados por um comportamento histerético não linear que leva em geral a uma grande dissipação de energia. Neste trabalho estuda-se o efeito de um amortecedor MR e de seus parâmetros característicos na redução das vibrações de edifícios e torres esbeltas. Para isto, utiliza-se o modelo de Bouc-Wen. O edifício é descrito como um sistema discreto massa-mola-amortecedor do tipo shear-building e a torre como um pêndulo múltiplo, onde se leva em conta a possibilidade de grandes rotações e deslocamentos. Considera-se o amortecedor localizado na estrutura (primeiro andar) e como um sistema de isolamento de base, com o propósito de verificar a influência da localização do amortecedor na redução das respostas dinâmicas. Quando o dispositivo é usado como isolamento de base, ambos os modelos mostraram uma grande diminuição da resposta dinâmica, em comparação aos resultados com o dispositivo no primeiro andar. Estuda-se também a influência da relação entre as frequências da estrutura e o conteúdo de frequências da excitação na eficiência do amortecedor MR. Os resultados mostram que esta relação tem uma grande influência no grau de redução das vibrações da estrutura controlada. Em todos os casos analisados, observa-se que o amortecedor MR leva a uma redução das vibrações, em particular dos deslocamentos da estrutura. / [en] The reduction of displacements and accelerations in buildings is a vital aspect in the design of structures under an earthquake excitation. Thus, the vibration control of structures in areas subject to seismic events has become an important research topic in engineering. Among the proposed mechanisms to reduce vibrations in structures, are the magneto rheological dampers (MR). Magneto rheological dampers are passive or semi-active devices for vibration control characterized by small energy consumption. These mechanisms are characterized by a nonlinear hysteretic behavior that usually leads to large energy dissipation. In this paper the effect of an MR damper and its characteristic parameters in reducing the vibrations of buildings and slender towers is studied. For this, the Bouc-Wen model is adopted. The building is described as a discrete mass-spring-damper-type shear-building and the tower as a multiple pendulum, which takes into account large displacements and rotations. It is considered that the damper is located in the structure (first floor) or as a base isolation system, in order to verify the influence of the location of the damper in the reduction of dynamic responses. When the device is used as a base isolation, both models show a large decrease of the dynamic response as compared to the results with the device on the first floor. The influence of the relationship between the frequencies of the structure and frequency content of the excitation on the efficiency of MR damper is also investigated. The results show that this relation has a great influence on the degree of reduction of vibrations of the controlled structure. In all cases here analyzed, it is observed that the MR damper leads to a reduction of the vibration response, in particular the displacement of the structure.

Magíster en Ciencias de la Ingeniería, Mención Ingeniería Sísmica. Ingeniero Civil / Las diagonales de pandeo restringido son disipadores sísmicos compuestos por un núcleo de acero cubierto por un elemento que impide su pandeo. Esta condición permite que la histéresis asociada al elemento sea amplia, y con gran capacidad de disipar energía. Debido al elemento restrictor, no es posible hacer una inspección visual directa luego de un gran sismo, y toma importancia conocer los resultados de la identificación del sistema cuando las diagonales trabajan disipando energía. Para ello, se evalúa la respuesta no lineal con un modelo Bouc-Wen calibrado para representar Diagonales de Pandeo Restringido, en un sistema de un grado de libertad, y en un marco diseñado con estos elementos. Se usan registros sísmicos reales y de ruido blanco como aceleración basal. Los resultados obtenidos se procesan con tres técnicas de identificación lineal, ampliamente usadas: Espectro de Densidad de Potencia (PSD), Identificación en el SubEspacio Estocástico, SSI-COV, y Multivariable Output Error State Space, MOESP. Los registros se aplican primeramente para que los sistemas trabajen en respuesta lineal, y luego cada excitación es amplificada para obtener la respuesta en tres niveles de incursión no lineal. Se analizan la respuesta en frecuencia, amortiguamiento y formas modales. En el sistema de un grado de libertad se realiza un análisis de sensibilidad de los parámetros del modelo, variando la rigidez post-fluencia de la histéresis y la suavidad de la curva en la transición a la fluencia. En el marco se realiza un análisis sobre el marco modelado con diagonales bilineales, y otro cuyas diagonales son modeladas con histéresis suavizada. El resultado es que las técnicas de identificación detectan frecuencias cercanas a la elástica en todos los sistemas, que disminuyen a medida que se entra en el rango no lineal. El amortiguamiento aumenta con la incursión en el rango no lineal y presenta gran dispersión en su determinación. Para el caso del marco, este comportamiento es más significativo en los modos principales del sistema. Cuando se analizan las formas modales identificadas en el análisis del marco, la primera forma permanece sin grandes cambios, mientras que las otras formas exhiben mayores grados de dispersión. De cualquier manera, visualmente siguen siendo reconocibles, aunque en algunos casos se acoplen con otras formas modales. El parámetro del modelo Bouc-Wen que más influye en los cambios es el que controla la transición a la fluencia y la suavidad de la histéresis. Para pequeñas no linealidades y una ley bilineal, la identificación arroja resultados iguales a la que se obtiene de un sistema lineal. Todas las técnicas de identificación arrojan resultados consistentes entre sí, pero no indican en forma clara el grado de no linealidad alcanzado por el sistema.

n recent years, there has been a surge in interest and research into the utilisation of soft actuators within the field of robotics, driven by the novel capabilities of their inherently compliant material. One such actuator is the Pneumatic Artificial Muscle (PAM) which offers a high power-to-mass ratio, compliance, safety, and biological mimicry when compared to their traditional counterparts. However, because of their flexible and complex physical structure and the compressibility of air inside the PAM, they exhibit nonlinear dynamic behaviour, largely due to the influence of the hysteresis phenomenon. In order to implement strategies to counteract this effect, it first needs to be modelled. As such, this thesis investigates two approaches, namely the Maxwell-Slip (MS) and generalised Bouc-Wen (BW) models. Firstly, the test muscle's initial braid angle, maximum displacement, and maximum force are determined to establish the static force using a modified model. Data is then collected on the PAM's force-displacement hysteresis for 2-6 bar of pressure. Using the results from these experiments, the MS and BW model parameters are identified through optimisation. With the static and hysteresis force components characterised, two complete dynamic models are created. The findings show that, when compared to the collected force-displacement data, the BW model has greater accuracy for all pressures except at 4 bar, although both approaches demonstrate results within a satisfactory margin. Lastly, a model validation is conducted to compare the models using a new dataset, separate from the one on which they were trained. Data for this test is recorded at a pressure of 4 bar with a more complex reference that covers four different regions of the muscle's displacement range. Thereafter, both dynamic models are applied to assess their performance. It is evident from the results that the BW model produces a better outcome than the MS, achieving a normalised error of 5.3746% as compared to the latter's 12.835%. The higher accuracy of the generalised BoucWen method is likely due to it having a more complex structure, specialised parameters, and the ability to model asymmetric hysteresis. The Maxwell-Slip model may however still be preferable in some applications due to its relative simplicity and faster optimisation. / Under de senaste åren har intresset och forskningen ökat kring användningen av mjuka ställdon inom robotik, drivet av den innovativa potentialen som erbjuds av egenskaperna hos deras naturligt flexibla material. Ett sådant ställdon är den Pneumatiska Artificiella Muskeln (PAM) som erbjuder hög kraft i förhållande till vikten, elasticitet, säkerhet och biologisk imitation jämfört med dess traditionella motsvarigheter. Trots dessa fördelar så uppvisar PAM:s ett icke-önskvärt olinjärt dynamiskt beteende, till stor del på grund av deras flexibla och komplexa fysiska struktur samt kompressibiliteten av luft inuti PAM:en. Dessa olinjäriteter orsakar hysteresfenomenet i muskeln. För att implementera strategier för att kunna motverka denna effekt så måste den först modelleras. Till följd därav så undersöker denna avhandling två tillvägagångssätt, nämligen Maxwell-Slip (MS) och den generaliserade Bouc-Wen (BW) modellen. Inledningsvis identifieras testmuskelns initiala flätvinkel, maximala förskjutning och maximala kraft för att fastställa den statiska kraften med hjälp av en modifierad modell. Data samlas sedan in på PAM:ens kraft-förskjutningshysteres för 2-6 bar av tryck. Med hjälp av resultaten från dessa experiment identifieras MS- och BW-modellparametrarna genom optimering. Med de statiska och hystereskraftskomponenterna karakteriserade kan två kompletta dynamiska modeller framkallas. Resultaten visar att jämfört med den insamlade kraft-förskjutningsdatan har BW-modellen en större noggrannhet för alla tryck förutom vid 4 bar, men båda metoderna uppvisar resultat som är inom en godtagbar marginal. Slutligen genomförs en modellvalidering för att jämföra modellerna med hjälp av ett nytt dataset, annorlunda från den som de tränades på. Datan för detta test mäts vid ett tryck på 4 bar med en mer komplex referens som täcker fyra olika regioner av muskelns förskjutningsområde. Därefter tillämpas båda dynamiska modellerna för att bedöma deras prestanda. Det är uppenbart från resultaten att BW-modellen ger ett bättre resultat än MS-modellen, och uppnår ett normaliserat fel på 5,3746% jämfört med den sistnämndas 12,835%. Den högre noggrannheten hos den generaliserade Bouc-Wen-metoden beror sannolikt på att den har en mer komplex struktur, specialiserade parametrar och förmågan att modellera asymmetrisk hysteres. Maxwell-Slipmodellen kan däremot ändå vara att föredra i vissa sammanhang på grund av dess relativa simplicitet och snabbare optimering

A utilização de sistemas semi-ativos no controle de movimento e vibração vem crescendo muito nos últimos anos, e está se firmando como a opção mais econômica em muitas aplicações. Os sistemas de controle semi-ativos baseados em fluidos magneto-reológicos (MR) já são empregados no controle de vibrações desde máquinas de lavar a grandes pontes suspensas, e até mesmo no controle de vibração de edifícios sujeitos a abalos sísmicos. No controle de movimento, eles têm sido aplicados em aparelhos de fisioterapia, próteses de joelho humano e embreagens. No setor automobilístico, os sistemas semi-ativos são empregados em sistemas de controle da suspensão e sistemas anti-rolagem, e também no controle de sistemas de torque e tração. Visto a crescente importância dos sistemas de controle semi-ativo, este trabalho aborda este assunto dividindo-o em duas partes: a primeira, apresentada no volume 1, trata do projeto de atuadores magneto-reológicos e do seu modelamento dinâmico voltado para projetos de controle; e a segunda parte, apresentada no volume 2, trata de projeto de controladores para sistemas semi-ativos, mais especificamente voltados para o controle de suspensão veicular semi-ativa, buscando a melhoria do desempenho em conforto, segurança e dirigibilidade do veículo. Na primeira parte, a maior contribuição deste trabalho está em preencher uma lacuna na literatura no que diz respeito a uma técnica sistemática de projeto de atuadores magneto-reológicos e da forma mais adequada de sua representação dinâmica para projetos de controle, que é feita a partir de dados experimentais. Na segunda parte deste trabalho buscou-se desenvolver um sistema de controle economicamente viável para veículos utilitários (caminhonetes principalmente). Estes são os veículos que mais carecem de sistemas de suspensão capazes de atender a uma grande variedade de situações (variação de pista, variação de carga), e cujo mercado exige uma relação custo/benefício melhor que aquela dos mercados de carros de luxo, onde estes sistemas são empregados atualmente. Como resultados mais importantes deste trabalho têmse: uma proposição para o uso da lei de controle LQG/LTR em sistemas não estritamente próprios; um modelo de um veículo utilitário completo com sete graus de liberdade e capaz de representar as situações mais importantes do comportamento dinâmico deste tipo de veículo; o desenvolvimento de uma estratégia de controle robusto baseado na técnica LQG/LTR, adequada para trabalhar com atuadores semi-ativos, e que utiliza sensores de custo compatível com a aplicação. O sistema de controle proposto foi capaz de melhorar o desempenho em conforto e segurança, evitando situações de perda de aderência dos pneus e comportamentos dinâmicos indesejáveis destes veículos, que foi verificado experimentalmente e através de simulações em computador. / The application of semi-active systems to motion and vibration control has significantly grown during the last years, and it is becoming an economically viable option for several applications. Semi-active systems based on magneto-rheological (MR) fluids were applied to vibration control ranging from washing machines to suspended bridges, and also in vibration control of buildings under seismic tremors. Regarding the movement control, they have been used in gym apparati, human knee prosthesis and clutches. More specifically in the automotive industry, semi-active systems have been applied in suspension and anti-roll systems, and also in torque and traction control systems. This work treats this subject dividing it into two parts: the first one, presented in volume 1, deals with the design of semi-active actuators based on magneto-rheological fluids and dynamic modeling; and the second one, presented in volume 2, deals with the design of semi-active control for vehicular suspension systems. The control main objective is the performance improvement in comfort, safety and handling features of a vehicle. In the first part, the main contribution of this work is to fulfill a literature gap regarding a systematic procedure for design of magneto-rheological actuators and to find a better representation for the dynamic behavior regarding the control system development, which is done based on experimental data analysis. The second part of this work leaded with the development of a vehicular suspension system for utility vehicles (for SUVs, and mainly for light trucks), which need suspension systems able to face a great number of situations (road variation, load variation, etc.), and which present stability problems due to its high gravity center height. Important results of this work are: the development of a robust control strategy based on LQG/LTR techniques for non-strictly proper systems, the development of a dynamic model for light trucks and SUVs with seven degrees of freedom; the development of a robust control strategy based on the LQG/LTR synthesis, suit to work with semi-active actuators, and using sensors with costs compatible to the application. The proposed control system was able to improve the performance of comfort and safety, avoiding the loss of adherence between tires and the ground and other undesirable dynamic behaviors of these vehicles, that was verified experimentally and through computer simulations.

A utilização de sistemas semi-ativos no controle de movimento e vibração vem crescendo muito nos últimos anos, e está se firmando como a opção mais econômica em muitas aplicações. Os sistemas de controle semi-ativos baseados em fluidos magneto-reológicos (MR) já são empregados no controle de vibrações desde máquinas de lavar a grandes pontes suspensas, e até mesmo no controle de vibração de edifícios sujeitos a abalos sísmicos. No controle de movimento, eles têm sido aplicados em aparelhos de fisioterapia, próteses de joelho humano e embreagens. No setor automobilístico, os sistemas semi-ativos são empregados em sistemas de controle da suspensão e sistemas anti-rolagem, e também no controle de sistemas de torque e tração. Visto a crescente importância dos sistemas de controle semi-ativo, este trabalho aborda este assunto dividindo-o em duas partes: a primeira, apresentada no volume 1, trata do projeto de atuadores magneto-reológicos e do seu modelamento dinâmico voltado para projetos de controle; e a segunda parte, apresentada no volume 2, trata de projeto de controladores para sistemas semi-ativos, mais especificamente voltados para o controle de suspensão veicular semi-ativa, buscando a melhoria do desempenho em conforto, segurança e dirigibilidade do veículo. Na primeira parte, a maior contribuição deste trabalho está em preencher uma lacuna na literatura no que diz respeito a uma técnica sistemática de projeto de atuadores magneto-reológicos e da forma mais adequada de sua representação dinâmica para projetos de controle, que é feita a partir de dados experimentais. Na segunda parte deste trabalho buscou-se desenvolver um sistema de controle economicamente viável para veículos utilitários (caminhonetes principalmente). Estes são os veículos que mais carecem de sistemas de suspensão capazes de atender a uma grande variedade de situações (variação de pista, variação de carga), e cujo mercado exige uma relação custo/benefício melhor que aquela dos mercados de carros de luxo, onde estes sistemas são empregados atualmente. Como resultados mais importantes deste trabalho têmse: uma proposição para o uso da lei de controle LQG/LTR em sistemas não estritamente próprios; um modelo de um veículo utilitário completo com sete graus de liberdade e capaz de representar as situações mais importantes do comportamento dinâmico deste tipo de veículo; o desenvolvimento de uma estratégia de controle robusto baseado na técnica LQG/LTR, adequada para trabalhar com atuadores semi-ativos, e que utiliza sensores de custo compatível com a aplicação. O sistema de controle proposto foi capaz de melhorar o desempenho em conforto e segurança, evitando situações de perda de aderência dos pneus e comportamentos dinâmicos indesejáveis destes veículos, que foi verificado experimentalmente e através de simulações em computador. / The application of semi-active systems to motion and vibration control has significantly grown during the last years, and it is becoming an economically viable option for several applications. Semi-active systems based on magneto-rheological (MR) fluids were applied to vibration control ranging from washing machines to suspended bridges, and also in vibration control of buildings under seismic tremors. Regarding the movement control, they have been used in gym apparati, human knee prosthesis and clutches. More specifically in the automotive industry, semi-active systems have been applied in suspension and anti-roll systems, and also in torque and traction control systems. This work treats this subject dividing it into two parts: the first one, presented in volume 1, deals with the design of semi-active actuators based on magneto-rheological fluids and dynamic modeling; and the second one, presented in volume 2, deals with the design of semi-active control for vehicular suspension systems. The control main objective is the performance improvement in comfort, safety and handling features of a vehicle. In the first part, the main contribution of this work is to fulfill a literature gap regarding a systematic procedure for design of magneto-rheological actuators and to find a better representation for the dynamic behavior regarding the control system development, which is done based on experimental data analysis. The second part of this work leaded with the development of a vehicular suspension system for utility vehicles (for SUVs, and mainly for light trucks), which need suspension systems able to face a great number of situations (road variation, load variation, etc.), and which present stability problems due to its high gravity center height. Important results of this work are: the development of a robust control strategy based on LQG/LTR techniques for non-strictly proper systems, the development of a dynamic model for light trucks and SUVs with seven degrees of freedom; the development of a robust control strategy based on the LQG/LTR synthesis, suit to work with semi-active actuators, and using sensors with costs compatible to the application. The proposed control system was able to improve the performance of comfort and safety, avoiding the loss of adherence between tires and the ground and other undesirable dynamic behaviors of these vehicles, that was verified experimentally and through computer simulations.

As rail transportation is significantly more virtuous than airplanes or cars in terms of greenhousegases emissions, its development is being encouraged in several European countries, includingSweden. In addition, the development of railway lines on which trains can travel at higher speeds ismade in Sweden with the integration of existing infrastructure. On railway bridges, an increased trainspeed potentially leads to an increase in vibrations during passage, for which the structure may not bedesigned. It is therefore essential to know the dynamic properties of the structures used.Several studies highlight the influence of friction phenomena in sliding bearings on the dynamicproperties of bridges equipped with them. This Master Thesis is based on previous works that led tothe development of a finite element modelling the friction mechanisms that occur in these bearings.The friction occurring between a PTFE sliding plate and a steel surface is thus modelled using the Bouc-Wen model, a model for hysteresis phenomena. The finite element was developed as a Fortransubroutine, which can be integrated into the finite element calculation software Abaqus as a "userdefinedelement". It allows friction to be modelled along the longitudinal direction of the bridge onlyand can therefore only be used in two-dimensional models. The user-defined element is also based ona model that takes into account the influence of contact pressure and sliding velocity on the steel-PTFEcoefficient of friction. As several studies indicate, contact temperature can also have a significantinfluence on the value of the coefficient of friction but is not taken into account in the current model.In this project, the previously developed finite element was therefore generalized to account forfriction in both directions of the sliding plate by the means of a two-dimensional generalization of theBouc-Wen model. Based on experimental data available in scientific literature, the model forcalculating the coefficient of friction was also extended to take into account the influence of thecontact temperature. In addition, a model to update the contact temperature based on the theory ofsurface heating of semi-infinite bodies has been incorporated. Finally, this thesis presents theintegration of this updated finite element on three-dimensional models of the Banafjäl Bridge, locatedin northern Sweden. Simulations to estimate the fundamental frequencies and resonance modes ofthe structure as well as the temperature increase that can occur in a bearing during the passage of atrain were carried out on this model.

The great social and economic impact of earthquakes has made necessary the development of novel structural health monitoring (SHM) solutions for increasing the level of structural safety and assessment. SHM is the process of comparing the current state of a structure’s condition relative to a healthy baseline state to detect the existence, location, and degree of likely damage during or after a damaging input, such as an earthquake. Many SHM algorithms have been proposed in the literature. However, a large majority of these algorithms cannot be implemented in real time. Therefore, their results would not be available during or immediately after a major event for urgent post-event response and decision making. Further, these off-line techniques are not capable of providing the input information required for structural control systems for damage mitigation. The small number of real-time SHM (RT-SHM) methods proposed in the past, resolve these issues. However, these approaches have significant computational complexity and typically do not manage nonlinear cases directly associated with relevant damage metrics. Finally, many available SHM methods require full structural response measurement, including velocities and displacements, which are typically difficult to measure. All these issues make implementation of many existing SHM algorithms very difficult if not impossible. This thesis proposes simpler, more suitable algorithms utilising a nonlinear Bouc-Wen hysteretic baseline model for RT-SHM of a large class of nonlinear hysteretic structures. The RT-SHM algorithms are devised so that they can accommodate different levels of the availability of design data or measured structural responses, and therefore, are applicable to both existing and new structures. The second focus of the thesis is on developing a high-speed, high-resolution, seismic structural displacement measurement sensor to enable these methods and many other SHM approaches by using line-scan cameras as a low-cost and powerful means of measuring structural displacements at high sampling rates and high resolution. Overall, the results presented are thus significant steps towards developing smart, damage-free structures and providing more reliable information for post-event decision making.

<p>Real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) has demonstrated certain advantages over conventional large-scale testing. In an RTHS, the system that is under study is partitioned into a numerical and a physical substructure, where the numerical part is comprised of those elements that are easier to model mathematically, while the physical part consists of those that present a complex behavior difficult to capture in a numerical model. The most complex part of this study is the isolation system, a technology used to protect structures against earthquakes by modifying how they respond to ground motions. Unbonded Fiber Reinforced Elastomeric Isolators (UFREIs) are devices that can accomplish this task and have gained attention in recent years because of their modest but valuable features that make them suitable for implementation in low-rise buildings and in developing countries because of their low cost. Our end goal for this work is to enable the testing of scaled versions of these elastomeric isolators to understand their behavior under shear tests and realistic loading. </p> <p>A testing instrument was designed and constructed to apply a uniaxial compressive force up to 22kN and a shear force of 8kN simultaneously to the specimens. A testing program was conducted where four primary sources of signal distortion were identified as caused by the servo-hydraulic system. From these results, a mechanics-based model was developed to understand better the dynamics that the sliding table can introduce to the measured signals accounting for inertial and dissipative forces. Two Bouc-Wen models were implemented to simulate the behavior of the UFREIs. The first only accounts for the hysteretic behavior of the isolator, and the second accounts for the additional nonlinearities found in the isolator’s behavior. These models were assembled in a virtual RTHS which is available to users interested in learning the applications of RTHS of a base-isolated structure with a nonlinear component.</p> <p>An RTHS experiment was conducted in the IISL where the control system comprised a delay compensator and a proportional-integral controller, which exhibited a good tracking performance with minimal delay and low RMSE. However, it can increase the distortion of the oil-column resonance in the measured signals. The simulation captures the behavior of the isolated structure for small displacements. However, it underestimates the displacement of the full-scale specimen for large displacements. The RTHS showed a better approximation of the displacement of the full-scale structure than the theoretical behavior approximated by the Bouc-Wen models.</p>