Multi-objective design and performance investigation of a high-rise building with track nonlinear energy sinks

This paper presents a track nonlinear energy sink (track NES) and a single-sided vibro-impact track nonlinear energy sink (SSVI track NES) as effective control strategies to mitigate the seismic response of high-rise buildings. The study commences with the analytical models of the track NES and the SSVI track NES and the state-space description of the control system. Subsequently, single-objective and multi-objective optimizations are conducted, and the performance of these devices is evaluated comprehensively in terms of control effectiveness and economic factors when attached to a representative 32-story high-rise building. Numerical results show that the SSVI track NES exhibits strong robustness against changes in the structural stiffness and the input energy level. Compared with the track NES and tuned mass damper, the multio-bjectively designed SSVI track NES is shown to be the most cost-effective device because it has a very small stroke and requires only slight damping. The cost-effectiveness of the SSVI track NES is also demonstrated on a 20-story shear-frame building. Additionally, the seismic performance of the SSVI track NES can be further improved by adjusting the position of the impact surface. Therefore, the track NES and, more so, the SSVI track NES can be designed as highly cost-effective control strategies and offer a promising solution for seismic response mitigation of high-rise buildings.