SimCenter | HPC Aided Optimization of Viscous Damped Steel Buildings, April 19, 2017

SimCenter Series: EARLY CAREER RESEARCHER FORUM

ABSTRACT -- High Performance Computing Aided Optimization of Viscous Damped Steel Buildings to Achieve a Target Performance Goal: Using fluid viscous dampers (FVDs) has been demonstrated to be an effective method to improve seismic performance of new and existing buildings. In engineering applications, designs of these dampers mainly rely on trial and error, which is both repetitive and labor intensive. To improve on this essentially ad hoc process, alternative approaches by utilizing high-performance computers and parallel processors are explored to streamline the design and identify optimal damper schemes. The optimization design procedure follows the framework of Performance Based Earthquake Engineering (PBEE) and uses an automatic tool that incorporates an optimization engine and structural analysis software: Open System for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (OpenSEES).

An existing 35-story steel moment frame is selected as a case study building for verification of this procedure. The goal of the retrofit design of FVDs is to improve the building’s seismic behavior to avoid collapse under a basic-safety, level-2 earthquake. Several optimal damper patterns will be proposed, and the efficiency of the optimization procedure will be demonstrated and compared with the manual procedure.