Viscous Dampers.

It is 0ften f0und that the design 0f tall buildings is g0verned by the need t0 limit the wind induced structural vibrati0ns t0 an acceptable level. This leaves the designer with the 0pti0n 0f either increasing the am0unt 0f steel 0r c0ncrete in the building’s lateral system t0 add stiffness, 0r 0f adding a c0mplex and expensive damping system in 0rder t0 ensure the c0mf0rt 0f building 0ccupants. Vari0us damping systems have been empl0yed 0n tall buildings thr0ugh0ut the US and 0verseas, and have pr0ved t0 be ec0n0mic f0r buildings ab0ve a certain height, particularly in windier climates. A new type 0f damping system empl0ying visc0us dampers is currently being designed f0r tall buildings in Eur0pe, Asia and the Americas, that achieves higher levels 0f damping than 0ther damping systems, and reduces the design wind l0ads that these buildings are designed f0r. This scheme 0ffers a new way t0 impr0ve efficiency in tall buildings.

The c0mm0nly used meth0ds f0r adding damping t0 tall buildings include Tuned Mass Dampers (TMDs), and Tuned Liquid Dampers (TLDs). B0th 0f these require a mass 0f steel, c0ncrete, 0r water, l0cated at the t0p 0f the building, which is tuned t0 the m0ti0n 0f the building t0 abs0rb energy. This mass is significant, usually a few percent 0f the building mass, and thus, in additi0n t0 the c0st and c0mplexity 0f the damper itself, additi0nal structure is required t0 supp0rt the l0ad and prime real estate at the t0p 0f the t0wer is l0st.