Single- and multiple-tuned liquid column dampers for seismic applications

Design parameters for single- and multiple-tuned liquid column dampers for reducing the response of structures to seismic excitations are presented. A deterministic analysis is carried out using 72 earthquake ground motion records to determine the tuning ratio, tube width to liquid length ratio, and head loss coefficient corresponding to a given mass ratio for single-tuned liquid column dampers. A similar analysis is performed to determine the central tuning ratio, tuning bandwidth, and grouping of dampers for multiple-tuned liquid column dampers. The study indicates that by properly selecting the design parameters, single- and multiple-tuned liquid column dampers can reduce the response of structures to seismic excitation by up to 45 per cent. Design examples using single- and multiple-tuned liquid column dampers in a bridge and a ten-storey building are presented to illustrate how the parameters are selected and to demonstrate the performance of the devices under different ground excitations. The response of several structures with tuned liquid column dampers is compared with that using tuned mass dampers where it is shown that both devices result in comparable reductions in the response. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. This paper was produced under the auspices of the U.S. Government and it is therefore not subject to copyright in the U.S.