A novel strategy for dynamic control of high-rise towers is the damped megabrace system. The system provides damping within the length of megabraces that span multiple floors. The damped megabrace works by placing a fluid viscous damper or a group of dampers at the end of a long bracing element which forms the main lateral resisting system. Since the viscous dampers provide no resistance to static loading, a parallel system of bracing is also used.

Benefits:

• Fewer dampers in the structure.
• Less steel, reducing cost & improving performance.
• Reduced weight is advantageous in areas where soft soil conditions and liquefaction are a concern.
• Damping can be integrated as an architectural feature of a building.

A damped outrigger system is highly efficient in reducing dynamic movements from hazardous winds. This system is based on the concept of total gross movement of the structure, applying vertical tension/compression forces into perimeter columns. Outrigger damping can be accomplished by constructing a rigid cantilever off the core of the building within a specific floor level, or levels, and connecting fluid viscous dampers between the end of the cantilever and the outer columns. The solution takes advantage of the tension and compression on the opposing outer columns of the building which amplifies the movements of the central core at the location of the outriggers.

Benefits:

• No temperature sensitive viscoelastic materials.
• No failure prone components like valves.
• No need for re-centering, repair or replacement.
• Provides energy dissipation to all frequencies of input vibration.
• Components are small and can be hidden in various locations throughout the structure.
• Avoids large potentially dangerous masses in the structure.
• Can be used to reduce service and strength level demands.

Tuned mass dampers (TMDs) are attached to high-rise towers to reduce dynamic response caused by hazardous winds. A TMD is a system composed of a mass, springs and dampers tuned to a specific frequency. The amplitude and frequency of sway depends on height, slenderness and rigidity of the structure. In high-rise buildings, such sway may make people uncomfortable at low frequencies. When a frequency of wind loading causes dynamic amplification of a tower, the TMD will resonate out of phase with the building, energy will be dissipated by the dampers, and the tower’s dynamic response is improved.

TMDs have been successfully added to various structures throughout the world. Structures such as bridges, skyscrapers, staircases, stacks, and antennas can all be excited to high levels of vibration from wind, earthquakes, nearby machines, or traffic. All of these structures require TMD systems to eliminate discomfort, damage, or outright structural failure caused by vibration in the structure. Fuji Engineering manufactures viscous damping devices for large scale TMD systems as well as full custom TMD systems for pedestrian bridges, walkways, concert venues, as well as other structures.

They do not depend on external power source for their operation.

• They can respond to small levels of excitation.
• Their properties can be adjusted in the field.
• They can also be introduced in structural upgrades or retrofits.
• They require low maintenance.

It is common practice today that structural engineers do not design their structures to remain fully elastic during a seismic event as in the past. Instead, they allow structures to experience plastic hinging (damage) in certain areas that are carefully detailed for this particular reason. Energy dissipation is achieved through hysteretic damping at these plastic hinges. This concept of ductile design leads in general to more economical designs provided that a certain level of safety is still maintained. Whether the goal is to reduce wind or seismic energy, there are a variety of solutions for energy dissipation for safer and more cost-effective structures in the long run.
While many methods exist to implement distributed damping in a structure, the underlying concept is to connect the dampers where motion will occur, such as between beam and column joints or between floor levels which deform relative to one another in a shearing-type motion. Some common configurations are listed below.
Open Space
While not specifically used for high-rise buildings, Taylor Devices does offer an open space configuration designed to offer more open bays.
Toggle
Toggle frames can be used as a mechanism to amplify deflections into the damper in otherwise stiff, or tiny deflection situations, creating a more efficient damping system. Toggle Frames utilize a bent-brace mechanism theory to capture deflections in one plane and translate the deflections into another plane and therefore provide very efficient damping.
Chevron
In this configuration, the dampers are placed horizontally, and connected to a frame (chevron) that is intended to be near-rigid with the floor it is connected to. The advantage with this direct damping orientation is that the horizontal flexibility of the structure injects this full movement directly into the horizontal orientation of the damper. However, a small amount of motion can be lost due to the constraints of the attainable stiffness of an economical chevron frame.
Diagonal
A very common method of applying distributed damping to a structure is to connect the dampers to diagonal corners or center of a structural frame or bay. In this orientation, the horizontal movement of the structure allows an angular component of the full deflection to go into the damper. This takes the motion directly to the next floor level through a strong tension/compression member.

Similar to systems found in buildings, direct acting damping can be used in bridge applications to absorb wind, seismic, and pedestrian energy. Fluid viscous dampers are installed to provide damping into the system and, consequently, reduce force and displacement demands. A reduction or even elimination of structural damage as well as traffic loss could be achieved after a seismic event, yielding substantial economic benefits.

Lock-Up Devices (LUDs) are a component from the same general technology base of fluid dampers, but unlike a fluid damper, the LUD does not dissipate energy. Rather, the LUD effectively acts as a dynamic brace to literally “lock” multiple masses together under seismic, wind transients, temperature expansion and braking effects. When equipped with Lock-Up Devices, a multiple mass structure essentially acts like a single, monolithic mass when a transient event occurs.

Similar to systems used in high rise buildings, tuned mass dampers (TMDs) for bridges will resonate out of phase with the bridge creating an opposing forcing function so energy can be dissipated by the dampers, and the bridge’s dynamic response is thereby improved. The only difference is that these TMDs are built at a much smaller scale, for much smaller input – typically pedestrian synchronized events.

Modern pedestrian bridges are sometimes long and slender in form, usually leading to a structural design with relatively low frequency primary modes of vibration. Similarly, some convention centers, hotels, concert halls and/or theaters are built with very long spans. Because of this, the bridge or floor can easily be excited by synchronized activities such as jumping, dancing, or even something as simple as walking. Unlike fluid dampers which convert mechanical energy into thermal energy, a tuned mass damper system will create a forcing function to oppose the induced dynamic structural deflection, thus suppressing motion.

Generally, TMDs are considered effective in applications of controlling structural motion where direct damping cannot be applied.  TMDs can be effective in the single frequency that they are tuned to, for controlling motions induced by wind, crowds of people, or other low-level vibration, where damping levels of less than 10% can be used. Multiple TMDs can be used if several modes can be excited by the input causing vibration.

Fuji Engineering manufactures large scale as well as full custom TMD systems for pedestrian bridges, walkways, concert venues, as well as other structures.

Visous dampers can also be included in a base isolation system where the damper is used to augment the energy dissipation of the isolators. The reduction in dynamic displacement provided by the addition of the viscous dampers can reduce the required size of the base isolation system by decreasing the cost of the bearings, moat covers, utilities entering the building, and other items that increase in cost as displacement increase. This reduction to the system components make it less costly and more practical to design and build. It is not uncommon to find that a combination of Dampers and base isolators, when optimized for performance, is less costly than the isolators would have been without the dampers. Another benefit of using dampers with the base isolation system is for when space is limited. By reducing the displacement of the base isolation system, the result is more usable space since the perimeter of the building can be closer to the property

Base isolation systems reduce structural excitation by physically decoupling the structure from the ground. This type of solution requires that the entire structure be cut loose and separated from the foundation system and isolation pads inserted in between the two. By doing so, the building will be isolated from the movement of the ground during seismic events and can achieve 6 degrees of freedom.

Organized with the joint cooperation of İstanbul Technical University’s Faculty of Civil Engineering, TMMOB Chamber of Civil Engineers and Turkey Earthquake Foundation, the conference was realized in Mustafa Kemal lecture hall of İstanbul Technical University’s Macka Campus. Sponsorship is provided to support the event.

Regarding seismic hasard in Istanbul, Fuji Engineering sponsored the conference event of “New Era in Seismic Isolation” organized by Fortune Turkey on 15th June 2016 in Istanbul. The purpose of the event was to inform the society about the new developments in seismic isolation technology. Key items and summary of the discussed points of the event can be reached from the link below.
http://www.fortuneturkey.com/sismik-izolasyonda-yeni-donem-35113

Fuji Engineering participated as an exhibitor in the 16th European Conference on Earthquake Engineering (16ECEE) held on 18-21 June 2018 at Thessaloniki Greece on behalf of Taylor Devices. The purpose of the Conference is to provide the perfect platform to present and discuss the recent progress in Earthquake Engineering along with priority issues of global importance in seismic risk reduction, preparedness and management. Originally developed for NASA, leading structural engineers use Taylor dampers as a cost- effective way to protect all types of buildings, their contents and occupants from earthquake damage. We would like to thank all participants who visited our stand where Taylor Devices products introduced.
You can see the details about the event from the link below.
http://www.16ecee.org/outline/scope-topics

Fuji Engineering participated in the 3rd International Roads, Bridges and Tunnels Fair which was held in Istanbul Congress Center during 3-6 October 2018. We would like to thank all participants who visited our stand where Taylor Devices products introduced.

Fuji Engineering participated in the 4th International Roads, Bridges and Tunnels Fair which was held in Ankara Congresium during 9-11 October 2019. We would like to thank all participants who visited our stand where Taylor Devices products introduced.

Operating since 1955 founded in North Tonawanda-New York, the U.S., Taylor Devices is the leading manufacturer in the shock and vibration control field. Originally developed for NASA, leading structural engineers use Taylor Dampers as a cost-effective way to protect all types of buildings, their contents, and occupants from earthquake damage.

You can see the details about the event from the link below.
https://www.road2tunnel.com/

Fuji Engineering participated in Heritage Istanbul 2022 Fair and Conferences held in Lütfi Kırdar International Congress and Exhibition Center between 11-13 May.

Our Viscous damper solutions and applications were exhibited at our company booth, where innovative technologies were introduced for the post-earthquake sustainability of historical artifacts and structures.

Application examples of Taylor Devices viscous dampers, which absorb earthquake energy and do not require maintenance, in various historical buildings were introduced at our booth. How critical structures can be strengthened against earthquakes without business interruption was also introduced to our visitors.

We are proud to contribute to the sustainability of cultural heritage, and we thank to our valuable visitors for their interest.

Detailed information about the event can be found at the link below.
http://expoheritage.com/heritageistanbul/en/

Fuji Engineering participated in the 6^th Process Safety Symposium held on 17-18 May 2022 in The Green Park Pendik Hotel.

Our Viscous Damper solutions and applications were exhibited at our company booth, where innovative technologies were introduced for the post-earthquake sustainability of industrial facilities and critical structures.

Application examples of Taylor Devices viscous dampers, which absorb earthquake energy and do not require maintenance, in industrial facilities were introduced at our booth. How critical structures can be strengthened against earthquakes without business interruption was also introduced to our visitors.

Thanks to our valuable visitors for their interest shown to our booth and Taylor Devices products.

Detailed information about the event can be found at the link below.
https://www.prosesemniyetisempozyumu.com/

Fuji Engineering participated in the 18th World Conference on Seismic Isolation (18WCSI) event held in Antalya on 6-10 November 2023. At the event, viscous damper applications in Türkiye and other countries were introduced.

Detailed information about the event can be found at the link below.
https://18wcsi-7icees.org/

Fuji Engineering participated in the TurkeyBuild Fair held at Istanbul TÜYAP Fair and Congress Center on March 23-26, 2022, at its booth number A111, Hall-2.
Viscous dampers (that absorb earthquake energy) and application examples in various structures were introduced at our stand.
Critical structures can be strengthened against earthquakes without business interruption with Taylor Devices products.
We would like to thank our valuable visitors for the interest shown in our innovative earthquake technologies and Taylor Devices products.

Fuji Engineering participated in the DCF Data Center Expo & Conference held on 20-22 October 2022 in Istanbul Expo Center.

Our Viscous damper solutions and applications were exhibited at our company booth, where innovative technologies were introduced for the post-earthquake sustainability of critical structures.

Application examples of Taylor Devices viscous dampers, which absorb earthquake energy and do not require maintenance, in various structures were introduced at our stand. How critical structures can be strengthened against earthquakes without business interruption was also introduced to our guests.

At the same time, Fuji Engineering also gave a speech on “Innovative Solutions for Post-earthquake Business Sustainability” at the conference. We would like to thank our valuable guests for the interest shown in our company during the event.

Detailed information about the conference can be found at the link below.
https://www.dcfdatacenterexpo.com/lang/en/

Fuji Engineering participated in the TurkeyBuild Fair held at Istanbul TÜYAP Fair and Congress Center on March 26-29, 2023, at its booth number 5111, Hall-8. Viscous dampers (that absorb earthquake energy) and application examples in various structures were introduced at our stand. Critical structures can be strengthened against earthquakes without business interruption with Taylor Devices products. We would like to thank our valuable visitors for the interest shown in our innovative earthquake technologies and Taylor Devices products.