Energy Dissipation Behavior of an Autonomous Controller for Semi-Active Control Device

In this research, autonomous controller is developed to provide the function of “Sensing-Computing-Transferring” for improving of energy dissipation capability of semi-active control device. This proposed controller has qualifications of detecting structural response under the excitation of earthquake; it depends on the control law to produce control order to adjust and control the action of semi-active control damper. The principle of this controller is: 1.) autonomous controller and damper-added stiffness element are parallel connection; 2.) the direction of pressure force and velocity moving direction of structure are changed simultaneously by this controller; 3.) the action of switching direction of damper has been finished when the tiny displacement of structure is happened by reverse process of moving direction of structure. Practically, this controller was simulated by connecting soft springs, damper and actuator in serial. The experimental results indicate that the function and energy-dissipating behavior of this proposed controller is similar to traditional semi-active controller except that this controller can switch the damper status at the right moment. This proposed controller can replace the detector, central control computer and damping controller included in original semi-active control system. The advantages of this developed autonomous controller are: 1.) low manufacturing cost; 2.) low requirement of system maintenance; 3) high reliability of control system.