초록 ▼

A variable damping and stiffness structure is disclosed, which includes a variable damping device provided between posts, beams and braces of a structure or braces serving as variable stiffness elements and interconnecting a frame body and the variable stiffness element or the variable stiffness ele

A variable damping and stiffness structure is disclosed, which includes a variable damping device provided between posts, beams and braces of a structure or braces serving as variable stiffness elements and interconnecting a frame body and the variable stiffness element or the variable stiffness elements themselves. Not only the unreasonance property, but also the damping property of the structure are compositely judged by a computer on the basis of information obtained from sensors with respect to disturbances such as earthquake and wind to control the connecting condition of the variable damping device, whereby both the unresonance property and the damping property are controlled to reduce the response amount of the structure. Otherwise, the variable damping device is controlled by the judgement of only the damping property.

대표청구항 ▼

1. In a building structure, means to control the response of the structure to external forces of seismic vibration and/or wind impacting against said structure, comprising: variable stiffness means secured to and bracing said structure; variable damping means having a variable coefficient of damping

1. In a building structure, means to control the response of the structure to external forces of seismic vibration and/or wind impacting against said structure, comprising: variable stiffness means secured to and bracing said structure; variable damping means having a variable coefficient of damping interposed between said structure and said variable stiffness means; and means to vary the coefficient of damping of said variable damping means responsive to the magnitude of said external forces impacting against said structure. 2. The means of claim 1, including computer means programmed to monitor external forces impacting against said structure and to control said variable damping means by selecting the coefficient of damping for said variable damping means best suited to control the response of said structure to said external forces and by actuating said variable damping means. 3. The means of claim 2 wherein said coefficient of damping is selected to render said structure non-resonant relative to the said monitored external forces. 4. The means of claim 1, wherein said variable damping means comprises: a double acting hydraulic cylinder; a shiftable piston in said hydraulic cylinder dividing said cylinder into two concentrically opposed chambers; a piston rod axially aligned and concentrically mounted in said piston to extend through said opposed chambers; means to secure one end of said piston rod to said structure; means to secure the other end of said rod to said variable stiffness means; first means to pass a hydraulic fluid from one chamber to the other chamber; valve means to control the flow of hydraulic fluid in said first means; and means to control said valve means, whereby the coefficient of damping of said variable damping means is determined by the control of said valve means. 5. The means of claim 4, including second means to pass a hydraulic fluid from one chamber to the other chamber; means to restrict the flow of hydraulic fluid in said second means; said second means comprising a bypass around said valve means in said first means. 6. The means of claim 1, wherein said variable damping means comprises: a hydraulic cylinder; a shiftable piston in said hydraulic cylinder dividing said cylinder into two opposed chambers; a piston rod axially aligned an concentrically mounted in said piston to extend through said opposed chambers; means to secure one end of said piston rod to said structure; means to secure the other end of said rod to said variable stiffness means; an oil pressure line with one end connected to one of said chambers an connected to the inflow side of a variable damping control valve; an oil pressure line connected at one end to the outflow side of said variable damping control valve and at its other end to the other of said chambers; means to pen and to close said variable damping control valve wherein said piston is rendered immovable in said cylinder when said variable damping control valve is closed and movable in said cylinder when said variable damping control valve is open, whereby the coefficient of damping of the variable damping means ia a first preselected value when said variable damping control valve is closed and a second preselected value when said variable damping control valve is open. 7. The means of claim 6, including means to actuate said means to open and to close said variable damping control valve. 8. The means of claim 6, wherein said means to actuate said means to open and to close said variable damping control valve is adapted to sense and to respond to sensed external forces of seismic vibration and/or wind impacting against said structure by controlling the opening and closing of said means to open and to close said variable damping control valve. 9. The means of claim 6, wherein said means to open and to close said variable damping control valve is adapted to pulse said variable damping control valve with pulses of variable time intervals to thereby provide a plurality of selectable coefficients of damping for said variable damping means. 10. The means of claim 9, wherein said means to actuate said means to open and to close said variable damping control valve comprises computer means adapted to sense, to measure, and to evaluate external forces of seismic vibration and/or wind impacting against aid structure and to transmit signals to said means to open and to close said variable damping control valve to provide a coefficient of damping commensurate with the computer-sensed seismic and/or wind forces impacting against said structure. 11. The means of claim 1, wherein said variable stiffness means comprises cross braces secured between selected portions of said structure, and said variable damping means is secured between said cross braces and said structure. 12. The means of claim 1, wherein said structure comprises posts and beams, said variable stiffness means comprises cross braces secured between said posts and beams, and said variable damping means interconnects said cross braces, posts and beams. 13. The means of claim 12, wherein said cross braces are segmented and said variable damping means connects said segmented cross braces. 14. The means of claim 12, wherein said cross braces are of X-shaped configuration, and said variable damping means forms the center of each of said X-shaped cross braces. 15. The means of claim 12, including a quake-resisting wall secured to one of said beams and said variable damping means secured between another of said posts and said quakersisting wall. 16. The means of claim 12, wherein said cross braces comprise a pair of V-shaped members with the apex ends of said members positioned adjacent the midsection of a beam and the opposite ends of said members secured to the opposite ends of a vertically spaced apart beam, and said variable damping means secured between the apex ends of said members and said midsection of said adjacent beam. 17. The means of claim 12, including a U-shaped member secured to the underside of a beam and depending therefrom; a U-shaped member secured to the topside of a beam spaced vertically below said first-mentioned beam and projecting upwardly therefrom, and variable damping means interconnecting said U-shaped members. 18. The means of claim 12, including a structure foundation, resilient means interposed between said structure and said foundation, and variable damping means connected between said structure and said foundation. 19. The means of claim 1, wherein said structure comprises vertical hollow posts; variable stiffness means positioned within said posts; and variable damping means interconnecting said variable stiffness means and said vertical hollow posts. 20. The means of claim 19, wherein said variable stiffness means comprises steel pipe spaced away from the interior walls of said vertical hollow posts.