Novel skywalk-integrated dual tuned mass dampers for building seismic protection

Seismic protection for both new and existing buildings is a fundamental challenge in civil engineering. Among various strategies, structural resilience can be enhanced by incorporating devices such as tuned mass dampers (TMDs), hysteretic devices, and vibro-impacting masses. In recent years, an innovative approach has emerged involving the use of specialized devices to interconnect adjacent buildings, thereby leveraging their coupled dynamic behavior to mitigate seismic effects. This study focuses on this specific strategy. The principal novelty of this study lies in the development of a skywalk-integrated dual tuned mass damper (DTMD) system, wherein two independently tuned TMDs are interconnected through a viscoelastic coupling device. This configuration exploits the coupled dynamic interaction between adjacent buildings, thereby achieving superior seismic performance compared to conventional isolated TMD applications. The coupled mechanical system, representing the two interconnected buildings and the skywalk with TMDs, is modeled as a low-dimensional mechanical system capable of capturing the primary dynamic characteristics of the structure. Each building, irrespective of its geometric and mechanical properties, is represented as a dynamically equivalent two-degree-of-freedom (2-DOF) shear-type system. The DTMD system is modeled as two independently moving masses, each directly attached to one of the buildings. The coupling between the buildings is established by equipping the skywalk with viscous damping elements, which act on the relative velocities of the connected levels. Furthermore, the two TMDs are directly interconnected via a viscoelastic device, facilitating energy dissipation and improving system stability. An extensive parametric analysis is conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the DTMD system in improving the seismic response of the buildings. Additionally, the study explores the influence of the direct connection between the TMDs on the overall structural performance. The results consistently demonstrate the effectiveness of the DTMD system across a wide range of parametric configurations, highlighting its potential as a viable seismic mitigation strategy for adjacent structures.