Recent Research and Development of Structural Control in Japan

Abstract

In Japan, structural control is widely recognized as a fundamental technology for exceeding the performance limitations of conventional earthquake/wind-resistant buildings. Over the last three decades, research and development (R & D) has been implemented in construction, mechanical industries, and universities. Additionally, many types of control strategies have been proposed through theoretical, experimental, and numerical investigations. In comparison with other countries, Japan has successfully and rapidly developed remarkable engineering applications for actual buildings using advanced structural control technologies, because Japanese construction companies promote R & D in cooperation with mechanical industries, structural design offices, and universities. This review paper introduces the recent structural control advances in Japan. The state-of-the-art report is based on papers published by the Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ), the Proceedings of the 16th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, articles published in a structural engineering magazine, the special theme sessions at the 7th World Conference on Structural Control and Monitoring (7WCSCM), and other relevant information. The key research directions are the simplification of control laws and mechanical devices, high performance with either little or no energy supply, device magnification, use of structural frames and sub-structures, new materials, adaptability, and cautious uses serving various purposes.