Response of Structures with Clutching Inertial System under Near-Fault Motions

Recent research has explored structural control techniques using inerters, with a particular focus on clutching inertial system (CIS) for mitigating the dynamic responses of structures subjected to near-fault (NF) earthquake excitations. This study evaluates the performance of CIS by analyzing structural responses to eleven recorded NF seismic events. A single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system is examined both with and without CIS by numerically solving the governing equations of motion. The findings reveal that CIS effectively reduces the displacement response of the SDOF structure, with its efficiency improving as the inertance of the CIS increases. Additionally, the CIS proves effective in reducing the absolute acceleration of SDOF structures with shorter natural periods, though its effect is less significant for structures with longer periods. A comparison of the acceleration spectrum and pseudo-acceleration spectrum of the SDOF system with CIS reveals that the two spectra align for periods up to approximately 1.5 s. Beyond this point, however, a noticeable difference emerges. Finally, the seismic response to NF excitation is examined for 3-, 6-, and 9-story multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) structures with CIS. Out of the three heuristic techniques considered for CIS distribution, the CIS associated with the ground and first floor approach outperformed the other two. Moreover, for the selected MDOF structures, the CIS had no significant contribution to the maximum base shear.