Stability and Accuracy Analysis of Real-Time Hybrid Simulation (RTHS) with Incomplete Boundary Conditions and Actuator Delay

The main purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of incomplete boundary conditions and actuator delay on the dynamic responses of seismically excited civil structures. A set of constraint equations representing the reserved interface degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) and the delay are introduced to form a mechanical model of real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) (referred to as RTHS-I&A) for a multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) system based on dynamic substructure method (DSM). Then, the RTHS-I&A system is modeled by a discrete closed-loop transfer function based on discrete control theory, using a selected integration algorithm, and the stability of the system is investigated by examining the poles of the function. Three typical cases with different structural properties are utilized to investigate the effects of incomplete boundary conditions and actuator delay. The results show that both incomplete boundary conditions and actuator delay greatly affect the dynamic responses of structures, and the combination of the two factors will amplify their influence especially on the nodes at the interface. The numerical model of RTHS-I&A proposed in this paper is quite useful for evaluating the responses of structures with different interface conditions and loading schemes that are preliminarily designed before a physical testing is conducted, and provides guidance for future relevant researches.