Behaviour of tall buildings and structures in strong winds : dynamic properties, response characteristics and vibration mitigation

This paper presents techniques and instrumentation employed in the measurement of dynamic structural properties of tall buildings and structures, long-term monitoring of their responses in strong winds, and vibration mitigation systems installed in actual buildings and structures. The merits and limitations of these techniques are discussed. Natural frequencies of vibration, deflected mode shapes and damping values can be determined reliably through dynamic measurements on actual buildings, and these results provide invaluable validations of numerical modelling techniques and generalised prediction formulae. The improved accuracy of prediction processes, coupled with a better understanding of building performance in strong winds, through long-term building monitoring, can lead to significant cost savings in the wind-resistant design and construction of tall buildings.