Skip to main content
Log in

Semi-active control of the benchmark highway bridge based on seismic early warning systems

  • Original Research Paper
  • Published:
Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Possible interactions between seismic early warning systems and structural control are herein investigated. A SEWS can provide the knowledge of some parameters, ahead of time, of the seismic event that is going to occur in a certain site. Current research activities on SEWS include the estimate of the anticipated peak ground acceleration (PGA) and the acceleration response spectrum (Sa) of an incoming earthquake. This paper proposes the exploitation of this information in the framework of semi-active (SA) control strategies, by using magnetorheological dampers. The latter are time-varying properties devices able to achieve a wide range of physical behaviours using low-power electrical currents. The main idea of this work consists in changing the MR damper behaviour according to the forecasted intensity of an incoming earthquake provided by the SEWS, in order to obtain the optimal seismic response of the hosting structure. This is investigated assuming a case-study problem. It consists in the 91/5 highway bridge located in Orange County of southern California and proposed in literature as a benchmark structure for applications in the field of structural control. The effectiveness of the proposed control strategy is assessed and compared to more consolidated control techniques.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agrawal A, Tan P, Nagarajaiah S, Zhang J (2009) Benchmark structural control problem for a seismically excited highway bridge—part I: phase I problem definition. Struct Control Health Monit 16(5): 503–508

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen RM, Kanamori H (2003) The potential for earthquake early warning in Southern California. Science 300: 786–789

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caterino N, Occhiuzzi A, Spizzuoco M (2010) Physical behavior and numerical modeling of magnetorheological dampers for semi-active control. 14th European conference on earthquake engineering

  • Convertito V, Iervolino I, Zollo A, Manfredi G (2008) Prediction of response spectra via real-time measurements. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 28: 492–505

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Iuliis M, Petti L, Palazzo B (2008) Semi-active control of structures by using early warning seismic network information. In: Proceedings 4th European conference of structural control. pp 367–374

  • Iervolino I, Convertito V, Giorgio M, Manfredi G, Zollo A (2006) Real-time risk analysis for hybrid earthquake early warning systems. J Earthq Eng 10(6): 867–885

    Google Scholar 

  • Iervolino I, Galasso C, Manfredi G (2008) Information-dependent lead-time maps for earthquake early warning in the Campania region. In: Proceedings 14 world conference on earthquake Engineering

  • Kanamori H, Hauksson E, Heaton T (1997) Real-time seismology and earthquake hazard mitigation. Nature 390: 461–464

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kanda K, Kobori T, Ikeda Y, Koshida H (1994) The development of a “Pre-arrival transmission system for earthquake information” applied to seismic response controlled structures. In: Proceedings 1st world conference on structural control TA-3. pp 23–32

  • Kuyuk HS, Motosaka M (2008) Spectral forecasting of earthquake ground motion using regional and national earthquake early warning systems for advanced engineering application against approaching Miyagi-Ken Oki earthquakes. In: Proceedings 14 world conference on earthquake Engineering

  • Madhekar SN, Jangid RS (2009) Variable dampers for earthquake protection of benchmark highway bridges. Smart Mater Struct 18: 1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagarajaiah S, Narasimhan S, Agrawal A, Tan P (2009) Benchmark structural control problem for a seismically excited highway bridge—part III: phase II sample controller for the fully base-isolated case. Struct Control Health Monit 16(5): 549–563

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Occhiuzzi A, Spizzuoco M, Serino G (2003) Experimental analysis of magnetorheological dampers for structural control. Smart Mater Struct 12(5): 703–711

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Occhiuzzi A, Grasso VF, Manfredi G (2004) Early warning systems from a structural control perspective. 3rd European conference on structural control

  • Occhiuzzi A, Iervolino I, Manfredi G (2006) Feedforward control algorithms for seismic early warning systems. 4th world conference on structural control and monitoring, 4WCSCM-266

  • Occhiuzzi A, Caterino N, Maddaloni G (2008a) Exploitation of seismic early warning networks for structural control. 4th European conference on structural control

  • Occhiuzzi A, Caterino N, Maddaloni G (2008b) Structural control strategies for seismic early warning systems. 14th world conference on earthquake engineering

  • Pnevmatikos NG, Kallivokas LF, Gantes CJ (2004) Feed-forward control of active variable stiffness systems for mitigating seismic hazard in structures. Eng Struct 26: 471–483

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tan P, Agrawal A (2009) Benchmark structural control problem for a seismically excited highway bridge—part II: phase I sample control designs. Struct Control Health Monit 16(5): 530–548

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wieland M, Griesser L, Kuendig C (2000) Seismic early warning system for a nuclear power plant. In: Proceedings 12 world conference on earthquake engineering

  • Zollo A, Iannaccone G, Lancieri M, Cantore L, Convertito V, Emolo A, Festa G, Gallovic F, Vassallo M, Martino C, Satriano C, Gasparini P (2009) Earthquake early warning system in southern Italy: methodologies and performance evaluation. Geophys Res Lett 36: L00B07

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Giuseppe Maddaloni.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Maddaloni, G., Caterino, N. & Occhiuzzi, A. Semi-active control of the benchmark highway bridge based on seismic early warning systems. Bull Earthquake Eng 9, 1703–1715 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-011-9259-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-011-9259-1

Keywords

Navigation