Gutierrez Soto, Mariantonieta

Group Research Activities: Sustainable Vibration Control of Smart Building and Bridge Structures

The protection of infrastructure is a critical and complex issue faced by civil engineers. Earthquakes are especially unpredictable and pose a great threat to critical infrastructure. To tackle this problem, the latest innovation is the development of smart structures. Smart structures have technology installed to dampen the vibration caused by forces of nature. The goal is to develop a new generation of smart structures equipped with sensors and control devices that can react in real-time during an earthquake. Structural control methods have been subject of significant research, yet they still face limitations that this research overcomes by introducing the concepts of decentralized control, agent technology, and replicator dynamics. The idea is integrated combining the conventional base isolation with an active or semi-active control system to create smart building and bridge structures.

Multi-Agent Replicator Control Methodologies for Resilient and Sustainable Bridge Structures

A novel control algorithm based on game theory and replicator dynamics is employed for hybrid vibration control of highway bridge structures equipped with both a passive isolation system and semi-active control devices subjected to earthquake loadings. The efficacy of the model is demonstrated by application to a benchmark example based on interstate 91/5 over crossing highway bridge in southern California subjected to near-field historical earthquake excitations. The control algorithms are integrated with a multi-objective optimization algorithm in order to find Pareto optimal values for replicator dynamics parameters with the goal of achieving maximum structural performance with minimum energy consumption.

Computation methods:

The patented neural dynamic model of Adeli and Park is used to solve multi-objective optimization problems. The performance evaluation of the methodology will be carried out through Monte Carlo simulations.

Software:

For all projects computer algorithms are created using MATLAB Simulink in series and parallel computing configurations.

Students:

Amanda Bellamy

Alejandro Palacio

Collaborators:

N/A

Current faculty: Prof. Mariantonieta Gutierrez Soto, PhD