Le travail de thèse s’appuie sur un recueil exhaustif des travaux effectués dans le domaine du contrôle des vibrations auxquels sont soumis les ouvrages génie civil. Une contribution innovante et originale est apportée et permet de classifier, de généraliser et d’optimiser certains critères dans le but d’assurer une conception optimale de divers dispositifs d’atténuation des vibrations, et ce, selon leur application. L’un des objectifs de la thèse a donc consisté à traiter ces critères de manière originale. Après avoir résolu le problème dit « direct » s’appuyant sur la modélisation des systèmes dotés d’un ou de plusieurs AMAs, nous nous sommes intéressés au problème dit « indirect » en envisageant divers critères d’optimisation. Ainsi, plusieurs critères d’optimisation des paramètres mécaniques de plusieurs AMAs appliqués à un système principal comportant 1 ou plusieurs degrés de liberté peuvent être utilisés. L’excitation du système principal est envisagée de deux manières, soit à sa base (en vue d’une application à la sismique), soit au niveau de la structure (en vue d’une application aux effets du vent).Des simulations numériques sont réalisées dans le but d’étudier la performance de chaque modèle optimisé en se fondant sur des approches fréquentielles et temporelles. La robustesse de chaque critère d’optimisation face aux incertitudes liées au changement des paramètres physiques de la structure principale a été examinée. Nous avons également étudié la sensibilité des critères par rapport aux incertitudes des paramètres optimisés des AMAs. La conception et l’optimisation de p AMAs placés en parallèle pour un système principal à Nddl, a constitué une nouvelle contribution originale dans le cadre de cette thèse. Dans ce contexte, lors d’une sollicitation sismique, nous estimons la contribution de chaque mode dans la structure principale et nous conservons seulement les modes de vibrations qui ont un rapport de masses modales cumulées supérieur à 90%. Le choix du critère d’optimisation s’appuie seulement sur les étages les plus sensibles aux modes conservés et permet ainsi de tenir compte des modes élevés de la structure principale. Dans le but de limiter les dommages subis par les constructions du génie civil lors de sollicitations sismiques, nous cherchons à évaluer l’efficacité des AMAs afin d’atténuer les réponses temporelles sismiques. Ainsi une étude comparative est réalisée en appliquant quatre séismes réels sur les modèles optimisés. Afin d’illustrer les résultats obtenus, des tests de caractérisation d’un AMA utilisant un amortissement par courants de Foucault et un ajustement de la rigidité, ont été menés. Ils ont permis d’obtenir une validation expérimentale du modèle et du critère d’optimisation adopté / The architectural demand and the desire to reduce costs permit the construction of light structures with innovating shapes. The great flexibility of these structures makes them increasingly sensitive to the external dynamic loads such as traffic, wind and earthquakes. Vibration control techniques allow to construct modern buildings increasingly slender, and, whether they are economic or architecturally audacious. Instead of modifying the geometrical and mechanical characteristics of a structure, vibration control consists in producing reaction forces which are opposed to the negative effects of the external excitations when they appear. This technological advance has the great advantage to not influencing planners and architects’ work and it provides them with additional creative options in both geometrical and mechanical characteristics of buildings. We restrict our focus to passive vibration control. Among available passive vibration absorber systems, Tuned Mass Dampers (TMDs) were selected for their simplicity and reliability. A TMD consists of a mass, a dashpot, and a spring, and is commonly attached to a vibrating primary system to suppress undesirable vibrations. The performance of TMDs is strongly affected by the adjustment of their parameters. The problem is the optimization of the mechanical parameters of TMD and their location in order to attenuate vibrations of the main structure. This thesis is based on understanding the dynamic characteristics of TMD. It aims to make an innovative and original contribution to classify, generalize and optimize some criteria in order to ensure an optimal design of TMDs, depending on their application. Our work consisted to treat these criteria in an original way. After solving the direct problem based on the modelling of systems with one or several TMD, we tackled the indirect problem by considering various optimization criteria. Thus, several optimization criteria of the mechanical parameters of TMDs applied to a main system (single (SDOF) or multiple degrees of freedom (MDOF)) are used. The excitation of the main system can be done in two different ways; either on the base (for seismic application) or on the structure (for wind effects).Numerical simulations based on a time and frequency approach are used to examine the performance of each optimized model. The robustness of each optimization criterion is assessed by taken into account the uncertainties related to the change of the physical parameters of the main structure. Such problems can be discussed by considering sensitivity analysis for criteria under uncertainty of the optimum TMD parameters. A new and original contribution of this thesis is the design and optimization of multiple TMDs in parallel with a MDOF main structure. In this context, during seismic loads, modes in the main structure with relatively high effective masses can be readily excited by base excitation. Afterwards, optimization criterion can be developed based on the most sensitive storeys to vibration modes which are a cumulative modal effective mass fraction exceeding 90%. To protect structures under earthquake loads, we seek to assess the effectiveness of TMDs in mitigating the response of structure under different real earthquakes. A comparative study is then achieved with four real earthquakes applied on systems with TMD optimized parameters. To illustrate the results obtained, characterization tests are conducted on a TMD with damping by eddy currents effect and adjustable stiffness. They allow the validation of the model and optimization criterion adopted

Atualmente é bem conhecido que o uso de dispositivos passivos de dissipação de energia, tais como amortecedores por atrito, reduzem consideravelmente a resposta dinâmica de estruturas. Entretanto, os melhores parâmetros de cada amortecedor e também a melhor posição para instalá-los dentro da estrutura permanecem difíceis de serem estabelecidas. Assim, a otimização de amortecedores é uma área que vem sendo estudada de forma crescente nos últimos anos, tendo grande impacto no projeto ótimo de dispositivos para o controle de vibrações de estruturas, possibilitando obter soluções seguras e ao mesmo tempo econômicas. Contudo, apesar dos amortecedores de vibração por atrito possuírem algumas vantagens em relação a outros dispositivos passivos, poucos trabalhos são encontrados sobre a otimização de seus parâmetros ou sobre a sua melhor posição dentro de uma estrutura, devido à maior dificuldade de se calcular sistemas que envolvem atrito, por este ser não-linear. Entretanto, é interessante se levar em conta as incertezas presentes nas propriedades estruturais e/ou na excitação dinâmica no processo de otimização, o que leva a um problema de otimização sob incerteza, como otimização robusta e otimização baseada em confiabilidade. Assim, nesta Tese é proposta uma metodologia para a otimização simultânea dos parâmetros e das posições de amortecedores de vibração por atrito a serem instalados em edifícios submetidos à excitação sísmica levando em conta as incertezas presentes tanto nas propriedades estruturais quanto no carregamento sísmico, assim como nas forças de atrito dos amortecedores. A fim de ilustrar a metodologia, dois exemplos de aplicação são apresentados, sendo o primeiro sobre otimização robusta e o segundo sobre otimização baseada em confiabilidade. Os resultados mostraram, em ambos os exemplos, que o método proposto obteve sucesso, melhorando consideravelmente o comportamento dinâmico dos edifícios estudados, mesmo para um número limitado de dispositivos instalados. Portanto, acredita-se que a metodologia de otimização desenvolvida constitui uma ferramenta eficaz para o projeto ótimo de amortecedores por atrito. / Nowadays it is well known that the use of passive energy dissipation devices, such as friction dampers, considerably reduces the dynamic response of structures. However, the best parameters of each damper and also the best position to install them within the structure remain difficult to be determined. Thus, optimization of dampers is an area that has been increasingly studied in recent years, having a big impact in the optimal design of devices for the vibration control of structures, allowing to obtain safe and at the same time economic solutions. However, although friction dampers have some advantages over other passive devices, few contributions are found on optimization of their parameters or on their optimal position within a structure. This fact can be explained due to the greater difficulty in determining the response of systems involving friction, because their nonlinear behavior. In addition to the lack of studies on optimization of friction dampers, the few studies found in the literature consider the problem in a deterministic way. However, the uncertainties present in the structural properties and/or in the dynamic excitation can alter the optimal solution. Thus, it is important to take into account these uncertainties in the optimization process, which leads to an optimization problem under uncertainty, such as robust optimization and reliability-based optimization. Thus, in this Thesis, a methodology is proposed for the simultaneous optimization of parameters and positions of friction dampers to be installed in buildings subjected to seismic excitation taking into account uncertainties present in both the structural properties and the seismic load, as well as in the friction forces of the dampers. In order to illustrate the approach, two examples are presented, the first one on robust optimization and the second on reliabilitybased optimization. The results show, in both examples, that the proposed method considerably improves the dynamic behavior of the studied buildings, even for a limited number of installed devices. Therefore, it was shown that the proposed procedure is an effective tool for the optimum design of friction dampers.

Este trabalho apresenta um modelo matemático linear para um sistema hidráulico proposto para funcionar como um amortecedor para pequenas amplitudes de deslocamento, da ordem de décimos de milímetros. As dimensões para o sistema hidráulico foram adotadas e parâmetros foram determinados. Foram escolhidos dois conjuntos de parâmetros dimensionais e dois valores para o bulk modulus equivalente, o que permitiu fazer o estudo de quatro situações. A verificação das características dinâmicas do sistema foi efetuada utilizando o conceito de função descritiva. Um programa em Matlab/Simulink com um filtro de Fourier foi implementado para obtenção das curvas da resposta em freqüência. A eficiência deste programa computacional foi comprovada através de sua aplicação a sistemas cujas respostas em freqüência são conhecidas. As curvas das respostas em freqüência do sistema hidráulico e do amortecedor ideal foram comparadas. Considerando tolerância de \'+ OU -\' 1 grau para a fase e de \'+ OU -\' 1 db para magnitude, o sistema hidráulico simulado, com bulk modulus equivalente de 100000 psi teve comportamento similar ao amortecedor ideal na faixa de freqüência de 0,1 a 150 rad/seg. No caso do bulk modulus de 30000 psi, a faixa foi estendida, isto é, de 0,1 a 200 rad/seg. / This work presents a linear mathematical model for a proposed hydraulic system intended to work as a damper for small displacement, of the order of decimals of millimeters. The dimensions of the hydraulic system were adopted and parameters were determined. Two sets of the dimensions and two values for the equivalent bulk modulus were chosen and that allowed the study of four situations. The system dynamic properties were verified using the concept of describing function. A Matlab/Simulink program applying the concept of a Fourier filter was carried out in order to obtain the frequency response curves. The efficiency of this program was verified through its application in systems which frequency responses are known. The systems and the ideal damper frequency response curves were compared. Considering tolerance of \'+ OU -\' 1 degree for the phase and \'+ OU -\' 1 db for magnitude, the simulated hydraulic system with an equivalent bulk modulus of 100000 psi showed to be similar to an ideal damper, for the frequency range from 0.1 to 150 rad/sec. For the equivalent bulk modulus of 30000 psi, the frequency range was extended from 0.1 to 200 rad/sec.

Kyoto University (京都大学) / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第15723号 / 工博第3337号 / 新制||工||1504(附属図書館) / 28268 / 京都大学大学院工学研究科建築学専攻 / (主査)教授 中島 正愛, 教授 吹田 啓一郎, 教授 金子 佳生 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当

The purpose of this study is to mitigate the compromise between ride comfort and handling of a small single seat off-road vehicle known as a Baja. This has been achieved by semi-active control of the suspension system containing controllable magnetorheological (MR) dampers and passive hydro-pneumatic spring-damper units. MR fluid is a viscous fluid whose rheological properties depend on the strength of the magnetic field surrounding the fluid, and typically consists of iron particles suspended in silicone oil. When a magnetic field is applied to the fluid, the iron particles become aligned and change the effective viscosity of the fluid. The use of MR fluid in dampers provides variable damping that can be changed quickly by controlling the intensity of the magnetic field around the fluid. Various benefits associated with the use of MR dampers have led to their widespread implementation in automotive engineering. Many studies on conventional vehicles in the existing literature have demonstrated the conflicting suspension requirements for favourable ride comfort and handling. Generally, soft springs with low damping are ideal for improved ride comfort, while stiff springs with high damping are required for enhanced handling. This has resulted in the development of passive suspension systems that provide either an enhanced ride quality or good drivability, often targeting one at the expense of the other. The test vehicle used for this study is distinct in many ways with multiple characteristics that are not commonly observed in the existing literature. For instance, the absence of a differential in the test vehicle driveline causes drivability issues that are aggravated by increased damping. The majority of existing MR damper models in the literature are developed for uniform excitation and re-characterisation of model parameters is required for changes in input conditions. Although recursive models are more accurate and applicable to a wider range of input conditions, these models require measured force feedback which may not always be available due to limitations such as packaging constraints. These constraints required the development of alternative MR damper models that can be used to prescribe the current input to the damper. In this study parametric, nonparametric and recursive MR damper models have been developed and evaluated in terms of accuracy, invertibility and applicability to random excitation. The MR damper is used in parallel with passive damping as a certain amount of passive damping is always present in suspension systems due to friction and elastomeric parts. Most of the existing studies on suspension systems have been performed using linear two degree of freedom vehicle models that are constrained to specific conditions. Usually these models are implemented without an indication of the ability of these models to accurately represent the vehicles that these studies are intended for. For this study, a nonlinear, three-dimensional, 12 degrees of freedom vehicle model has been developed to represent the test vehicle. This model is validated against experimental results for ride comfort and handling. The MR damper models are combined with the model of the test vehicle, and used in ride comfort and handling simulations at various levels of passive damping and control gains in order to assess the potential impact of suspension control on the ride quality and drivability of the test vehicle. Simulation results show that lower passive damping levels can significantly improve the ride comfort as well as the handling characteristics of the test vehicle. Furthermore, it is observed that additional improvements that may be obtained by the implementation of continuous damping control may not be justifiable due to the associated cost and complexity. / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted

Die doel van die navorsing wat in hierdie verslag bespreek word, was om ondersoek in te stel na die omrolgedrag van veldvoertuie. Die studie is gedoen deur gebruik te maak van ʼn Land Rover Defender 110 sport nutsvoertuig as eksperimentele voertuig, en ADAMS View as sagteware pakket Die sogenaamde “vishoektoets” is met die basislynvoertuig uitgevoer. Daar is korrelasie verkry tussen die data wat tydens die toetse opgeneem is, en ʼn volledige drie-dimensionele model van die voertuig in ADAMS View. Die basislynsuspensie op die voertuig is vervolgens vervang met ʼn vier toestand semi-aktiewe hidropneumatiese suspensiestelsel of 4S4. Die toetse is herhaal, en korrelasie verkry tussen die toetsdata en die rekenaarmodel. Die rekenaarmodel, met die basislyn suspensiekarakteristieke vervang met die hidropneumatiese suspensiekarakteristieke, is teen hierdie toetsdata geverifieer. Die rekenaarmodel is na korrelasie gebruik om te bepaal watter veer- en demperstellings die effektiefste sal wees om omrol te voorkom. Verder is die model ook gebruik om die effek van rithoogteverlaging op omrolgeneigdheid te bepaal. Die hoeveelheid wat die wiele oplig, is as norm vir omrolgeneigdheid gebruik. Ander parameters, soos giersnelheid, rolsnelheid en rolhoek is ook ondersoek. Uit die studie is dit duidelik dat die 4S4, met die moontlikheid van verstelling aan rithoogte, sinvol aangewend kan word om omrolgeneigdheid te verminder. / Dissertation (MEng (Mechanical Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted

This study aims to evaluate the use of mathematical optimisation algorithms for the optimisation of a vehicle’s spring and damper characteristics, with respect to ride comfort and handling. Traditionally the design of a vehicle’s suspension spring and damper characteristics are determined by a few simple planar model calculations, followed by extensive trial-and-error simulation or track testing. With the current advanced multi-body dynamics computer software packages available to the design engineer, the integration of traditional mathematical optimisation techniques with these packages, can lead to much faster product development. This, in turn results in a reduction of development costs. A sports utility vehicle is modelled by means of a general-purpose computer programme for the dynamic analysis of a multi-body mechanical system. This model is validated against measurements from road tests. The mathematical model is coupled to two gradient-based mathematical optimisation algorithms. The performance of the recently proposed Dynamic-Q optimisation algorithm, is compared with that of the industry-standard gradient based Sequential Quadratic Programming method. The use of different finite difference approximations for the gradient vector evaluation is also investigated. The results of this study indicate that gradient-based mathematical optimisation methods may indeed be successfully integrated with a multi-body dynamics analysis computer program for the optimisation of a vehicle’s suspension system. The results in a significant improvement in the ride comfort as well as handling of the vehicle. / Dissertation (MEng (Mechanical Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted

Seismic isolation systems are widely used to protect reinforced concrete (RC) structures against the effects of strong ground motions. After a magnitude 6.6 earthquake, the outpatient building of Lushan People’s hospital in China remained in good condition due to the seismic isolation technology, while the non-isolated older outpatient building nearby experienced major damage. The building provides a good opportunity to study and assess the contribution of isolation systems to seismic performance of RC structures. In the current research project, the isolated outpatient building was modelled and analyzed using computer software SAP2000. The post-yield behaviour of the structure was modelled by assigning multi-linear plastic links to frame objects. The rubber isolators were represented by rubber isolator link elements, assigned as a single joint element between the ground and the superstructure. The isolated structure was subjected to four earthquake records with increasing intensity. The performances of the isolated structure were compared with those of the fixed-base structures in terms of lateral inter-storey drifts, peak absolute floor accelerations, and residual drifts. The laminated rubber bearings, the high damping isolation devices, composed of rubber bearings and viscous dampers, and the hybrid isolation system of rubber bearings and friction pendulum bearings were analysed. The effectiveness of the three base isolation systems considered in enhancing structural performance was investigated. The results show the level of improvement attained in seismic response by each system. They also illustrate that the rubber bearings coupled with friction pendulum bearings produce the best drift control without causing excessive horizontal displacements at the base level and without adversely affecting floor accelerations.

Typical aero-engine assemblies have at least two nested rotors mounted within a flexible casing via squeeze-film damper (SFD) bearings. As a result, the flexible casing structures become highly sensitive to the vibration excitation arising from the High and Low pressure rotors. Lowering vibrations at the aircraft engine casing can reduce harmful effects on the aircraft engine. Inverse problem techniques provide a means toward solving the unbalance identification problem for a rotordynamic system supported by nonlinear SFD bearings, requiring prior knowledge of the structure and measurements of vibrations at the casing. This thesis presents two inverse solution techniques for the nonlinear rotordynamic inverse problem, which are focused on applications where the rotor is inaccessible under operating conditions, e.g. high pressure rotors. Numerical and experimental validations under hitherto unconsidered conditions have been conducted to test the robustness of each technique. The main contributions of this thesis are:• The development of a non-invasive inverse procedure for unbalance identification and balancing of a nonlinear SFD rotordynamic system. This method requires at least a linear connection to ensure a well-conditioned explicit relationship between the casing vibration and the rotor unbalance via frequency response functions. The method makes no simplifying assumptions made in previous research e.g. neglect of gyroscopic effects; assumption of structural isotropy; restriction to one SFD; circular centred orbits (CCOs) of the SFD. • The identification and validation of the inverse dynamic model of the nonlinear SFD element, based on recurrent neural networks (RNNs) that are trained to reproduce the Cartesian displacements of the journal relative to the bearing housing, when presented with given input time histories of the Cartesian SFD bearing forces.• The empirical validation of an entirely novel approach towards the solution of a nonlinear inverse rotor-bearing problem, one involving an identified empirical inverse SFD bearing model. This method is suitable for applications where there is no adequate linear connection between rotor and casing. Both inverse solutions are formulated using the Receptance Harmonic Balance Method (RHBM) as the underpinning theory. The first inverse solution uses the RHBM to generate the backwards operator, where a linear connection is required to guarantee an explicit inverse solution. A least-squares solution yields the equivalent unbalance distribution in prescribed planes of the rotor, which is consequently used to balance it. This method is successfully validated on distinct rotordynamic systems, using simulated data considering different practical scenarios of error sources, such as noisy data, model uncertainty and balancing errors. Focus is then shifted to the second inverse solution, which is experimentally-based. In contrast to the explicit inverse solution, the second alternative uses the inverse SFD model as an implicit inverse solution. Details of the SFD test rig and its set up for empirical identification are presented. The empirical RNN training process for the inverse function of an SFD is presented and validated as a part of a nonlinear inverse problem. Finally, it is proved that the RNN could thus serve as reliable virtual instrumentation for use within an inverse rotor-bearing problem.

The efficient optimisation of vehicle suspension systems is of increasing interest for vehicle manufacturers. The main aim of this thesis is to develop a methodology for efficiently optimising an off-road vehicle’s suspension for both ride comfort and handling, using gradient based optimisation. Good ride comfort of a vehicle traditionally requires a soft suspension setup, while good handling requires a hard suspension setup. The suspension system being optimised is a semi-active suspension system that has the ability to switch between a ride comfort and a handling setting. This optimisation is performed using the gradient-based optimisation algorithm Dynamic-Q. In order to perform the optimisation, the vehicle had to be accurately modelled in a multi-body dynamics package. This model, although very accurate, exhibited a high degree of non-linearity, resulting in a computationally expensive model that exhibited severe numerical noise. In order to perform handling optimisation, a novel closed loop driver model was developed that made use of the Magic Formula to describe the gain parameter for the single point driver model’s steering gain. This non-linear gain allowed the successful implementation of a single point preview driver model for the closed loop double lane change manoeuvre, close to the vehicle’s handling limit. Due to the high levels of numerical noise present in the simulation model’s objective and constraint functions, the use of central finite differencing for the determination of gradient information was investigated, and found to improve the optimisation convergence history. The full simulation model, however, had to be used for the determination of this gradient information, making the optimisation process prohibitively expensive, when many design variables are considered. The use of carefully chosen simplified two-dimensional non-linear models were investigated for the determination of this gradient information. It was found that this substantially reduced the total number of expensive full simulation evaluations required, thereby speeding up the optimisation time. It was, however, found that as more design variables were considered, some variables exhibited a lower level of sensitivity than the other design variables resulting in the optimisation algorithm terminating at sub-optimal points in the design space. A novel automatic scaling procedure is proposed for scaling the design variables when Dynamic-Q is used. This scaling methodology attempts to make the n-dimensional design space more spherical in nature, ensuring the better performance of Dynamic-Q, which makes spherical approximations of the optimisation problem at each iteration step. The results of this study indicate that gradient-based mathematical optimisation methods may indeed be successfully integrated with a multibody dynamics analysis computer program for the optimisation of a vehicle’s suspension system. Methods for avoiding the negative effects of numerical noise in the optimisation process have been proposed and successfully implemented, resulting in an improved methodology for gradient-based optimisation of vehicle suspension systems. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted