High-rise buildings under earthquake excitation: stabilization using SMC

Abstract

The goal to control the dynamics of high-rise buildings either to ameliorate the damage or prevent their destruction when subject to an earthquake excitation has been subject of extensive research. All known control designs have advantages and disadvantages as well as operating limits. The application of sliding-mode control to controlling earthquake induced vibrations of a multi-story structural system as an active seismic compensation plus base isolation has been investigated. The performance has been compared to the one of traditional industrial controls, and relevant conclusions drawn. Simulation results, carried out using El Centro earthquake acceleration, have shown that the sliding mode control can decrease significantly displacements of the floors.