Adaptive Backstepping Control for Vibration Reduction in a Structure with Frictional and Hysteretic Actuators

This paper presents an alternative solution to the vibration problem in civil engineering structures. This kind of structures are characterized by the uncertainties of the parameters that describe their dynamics, such as stiffness and damping coefficients. Moreover, the actuators used to mitigate the vibrations caused by earthquakes are usually nonlinear devices with frictional or hysteretic dynamics. In order to account for the uncertainties and the nonlinearities, an adaptive backstepping controller is proposed. Semiactive control force is applied to the structure through a magnetorheological damper together with a passive frictional actuator that isolates the base of a 10-story building. The effectiveness of the controller is shown by comparing the simulation results of the cases when the structure is isolated and when it is not.