III - Multiple Floors MRF plus MR Damper Real-time Hybrid Simulation

Three phases of validation experiments are conducted to examine the developed RTHS framework, as well as the effectiveness of the MR damper to mitigate structural vibration. The MRF specimen in the multi-floor RTHS experiment is used here, plus a MR damper that is placed between the reaction and the 1st floor of the steel frame. Phase I (pure numerical simulation) is chosen as the reference that comprises of a full structure model plus a simulated Bouc-Wen damper model. Phase II models the full structure as the numerical component, but only the damper as the physical substructure. Phase III integrates the damper device into the MRF specimen that are both tested physically. Additional seismic mass are assumed in the computational substructure for all three phases. The assumption of numerical mass, damping and earthquake intensity are the same as in the multi-floor MRF RTHS experiment.