Optimization of Tuned Mass Damper for Steel–Concrete Hybrid Wind Turbine Tower Using Genetic Algorithm

Steel–concrete hybrid towers (SCHTs) have been adopted as a popular supporting structure for wind turbines with the increasing hub height and rotor diameter. The excessive transverse vibration of the supporting tower adversely compromises the turbine’s operation and leads to structural deteriorations. The tuned mass damper (TMD) has been validated as an efficient device integrated with high-rise structures in vibration suppressions. This study aims to provide a reliable method for determining the key parameters of the TMD to obtain the optimal performance in vibration suppressions. This study begins with a rigorous theoretical analysis to investigate the dynamic responses of the SCHT. The dynamic analysis serves as a basis for developing a dynamics model of the SCHT integrated with a TMD, which provides a programmable method to analyze the effect of the TMD on the dynamic responses of the SCHT. Then, an optimization model based on the genetic algorithm (GA) is established to obtain the optimal parameters of the TMD. Finally, a numerical test comprising 12 loading conditions is conducted to analyze the vibration mitigation effect of the TMD. The validation process also provides discussions about the influence of the wind turbine operation states and the fitness function adopted in the GA on the efficiency of the TMD. Those findings demonstrate the effectiveness and limitations of the TMD for mitigating vibrations of the SCHT. It thereby contributes to the understanding and improvement of vibration control strategies for SCHT structures and can guide future design and optimization efforts.