Optimal design and performance evaluation of tuned mass damper inerter in building structures

This paper concerns the numerical performance evaluation of multi-degree-of-freedom systems equipped with Tuned Mass Dampers-Inerter (TMDIs); a passive control device used for the mitigation of mechanical vibrations induced by dynamic loads. The inerter device is commonly used to increase the apparent mass of classics tuned mass dampers (TMDs), improving its seismic performance. To evaluate the TMDI action, three case studies are employed, determined from three real buildings of Medellin city from low, medium to high rise (30 meters, 97 meters, and 144 meters, respectively). Optimum design parameters are found using a metaheuristic optimization based on the differential evolution method, first, for the minimization of the horizontal peak displacements, and then, for the minimization of the root mean square (RMS) response of displacements. Besides, the case studies are assessed using eight seismic accelerations records representative of the literature. Finally, the seismic performance is evaluated on each case study considering different levels of inertance induced by the inerter device: 5%, 20%, and 50% with respect to the total mass of the building, for which it is observed a better dynamic behavior when TMDIs with lower values of inertance are implemented.