Active tuned liquid column damper with propellers

The active control of a Tuned Liquid Column Damper (TLCD) with two propellers is presented. A single-degree-of-freedom system with a passive or active TLCD is used as an example to set up the basic equation of motion. The Optimal Control Theory is applied to establish the control law and to calculate the control force generated by these two propellers installed inside the TLCD. A simple pendulum-like model test is carried out to study the dynamic characteristics of the passive and active TLCDs and the effectiveness of the vibrational control. Comparison of the experimental result with the analytical one shows a good agreement. Finally, the analytical results of the seismic response are also included as an example for demonstration and application. Copyright (C) 2003 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.