Structural damping in linear and nonlinear dynamic response : contribution to a better understanding through numerical simulation

Details

Supervisors

Saraiva Esteves Pacheco De Almeida, João

Faculty

Ecole polytechnique de Louvain

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur civil des constructions

Abstract

When a structure is subjected to a dynamic excitation, its components will dissipate energy whether they are structural or not. Some of those sources of energy dissipation are modelled explicitly through the hysteretic behaviour of the materials for example. However, it’s very difficult, if not impossible, to model all the sources of energy loss. The damping models appeared to overcome this limitation. Currently, there is no consensus in the scientific community on which damping model to adopt. The first objective of this document is then to provide a review of the damping models from the oldest and most used one to the latest propositions known by the author. The second objective of this document is to analyse the effects of the damping model choice, through the most used ones, on the response of a multi spans reinforced concrete bridge subjected to a vertical and horizontal groundmotion. As a matter of fact, the vertical component of the ground motions has been underestimated until the last 30 years when records showed that the peak ground acceleration of the vertical component can be significantly larger than thehorizontal one. The results of this document showed that the vertical component of the ground motion and the choice of damping model strongly influence the response of the piers regarding the axial force, the base shear and the lateral drift