Optimal reduction of seismic floor accelerations with added viscous dampers

Abstract

Height-wise distributions of supplemental viscous dampers optimized for the reduction of seismic floor accelerations are analyzed. Several building models with different number of stories and representative of different structural systems are considered. Different damper schemes, including uniform and non-uniform height-wise distributions, are evaluated. Results indicate that it is not always necessary to add as much damping as possible to achieve optimal response reductions, particularly in long-period, high-rise structures. Results also indicate that suboptimal damper schemes might be more convenient in the sense that almost all of the optimal response reduction is achieved with significantly smaller amounts of added damping. Practical implications of these observations are discussed.