Designing optimal tuned mass dampers using improved harmony search algorithm

• Published in: Advances in structural engineering 2016-10, Vol.19 (10), p.1620-1636
• Main Authors: Yazdi, HA, Saberi, H, Hatami, F
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1369-4332; 2048-4011
• DOI: 10.1177/1369433216646018

In this article, the optimum parameters of tuned mass dampers for suppressing the dynamic responses of multi degree-of-freedom structures induced by base excitations are proposed. The improved harmony search algorithm, which has been successfully applied in many fields, is used for tuning the tuned mass dampers under seismic loading. The parameters of tuned mass dampers including mass, damping coefficient, spring stiffness, and location are assumed as design variables and two objective functions have been considered. The results of the numerical simulations modeling of two 10-story shear structures show that tuned mass dampers are very effective in the reduction in energy responses of structures under recorded earthquakes. Also, the objective function offered in this article with better uniform distribution in transfer functions is more reliable than those which will be discussed in the following sections. Furthermore, in all earthquakes, the maximum displacement of tuned mass dampers and force exerted by tuned mass dampers on the structure for the offered objective function are considerably less. A discussion on the validity of the model used by Bekdaş and Nigdeli is also presented in detail. The results indicate that for developing reliable preliminary-design criteria, the proposed analysis-based approach presented herein has the potential to provide better calculation of the responses of such structures.