Aeroelastic wind tunnel testing of a 300 m tall building incorporating a novel integrated damping system

This study evaluates the performance of a proposed large mass damping system for mitigating wind-induced vibrations in tall buildings through advanced aeroelastic wind tunnel testing. The concept, referred to as the ‘Integrated Damping System’, mobilises a substantial portion of the building own mass as damper mass, hence enhancing the damping capabilities while avoiding the limitations of conventional damping approaches. To assess the physical performance, this paper describes the development of a multi-degree-of-freedom aeroelastic model using a novel parametric workflow which integrates similarity principles and genetic algorithm optimisation procedures in order to ensure precise and practical fabrication. The aeroelastic scaled model, simulating a 300 m tall prototype building incorporating the proposed Integrated Damping System, is then tested under various wind conditions in an advanced wind tunnel facility. The effectiveness of the system is verified for a range of wind angles and speeds, highlighting its robustness in real-world applications. The results show that the use of the damping system leads to reductions of 71% and 62% in peak and RMS accelerations, as well as halving the base shear and overturning moments, compared to a conventional rigid configuration. It is also shown that the system can operate effectively in conjunction with minimal levels of differential displacements. The findings illustrate the potential of the damping system in terms of improving structural resilience through a superior damping performance without sacrificing usable space, while bringing cost and carbon reductions to tall building design and construction.