Mceer Advanced Technology Research for next Generation Seismic Resilient Buildings

Over the last two decades, significant research effort has been directed toward the application of advanced technologies to improve the seismic performance of civil infrastructure. MCEER has played a role in that development. In this paper, we present an overview of the integrated MCEER research program aimed at the development of a new generation of seismic resilient buildings. While MCEER research has a broad scope, here we concentrate specifically on aspects relating to the further development of structural control devices and systems. Three new passive elements are examined, including scissor jack dampers, lightgauge steel shear panels and polymer matrix composite infill walls, along with a novel hybrid control system. Although these research projects are at different stages of development, all four have significant application potential. Naturally, the MCEER research program must also address the overall system level performance. Along these lines, we examine a new retrofit strategy involving strength reduction combined with damping enhancement. With this approach, the resulting retrofit structure can exhibit reductions in both displacements and base shear forces. Two distinct automated design approaches, involving heuristic and evolutionary methodologies, also are presented in some detail. Initial investigations indicate that these approaches are quite promising. All of the work presented here leads us to the conclusion that the integrated MCEER research approach can contribute substantially to the development of next generation seismic resilient buildings.