An efficient liquid sloshing damper for control of wind-induced instabilities

Bluff structures in the form of tall buildings, smokestacks, control towers, bridges, etc. are susceptible to vortex resonance and galloping type of instabilities. One approach to vibration control of such systems is through energy dissipation using sloshing liquid dampers. This paper focuses on enhancing the energy dissipation efficiency of a rectangular liquid damper through introduction of two-dimensional wedge-shaped obstacles. The investigation has two phases. To begin with, a parametric free vibration study aimed at optimization of the obstacles’ geometry is undertaken to arrive at configurations promising increased damping ratio and hence higher energy dissipation. The study is complemented by a wind tunnel test program, which substantiates the effectiveness of this class of dampers in regulating both vortex resonance and galloping type of instabilities. Simplicity of design, implementation with ease, minimal maintenance, reliability as well as high efficiency make such liquid dampers quite attractive for real-life applications.