Seismic response control of bridges by variable dampers

Variable Dampers which change the damping characteristics depending on the bridge response is proposed. Effectiveness of the variable damper for seismic response control of bridges is studied through a numerical analysis. A prototype variable damper was developed, and a series of dynamic loading tests were made to verify the effectiveness of the variable damper. A series of shake table tests were made using the prototype model. Effectiveness of the variable dampers for seismic response control of bridges was verified by the shake table test. Analytical simulation provided a realistic response prediction of the response of the model bridge.