Behaviour of RC building Employed with Fluid Viscous Damper

Abstract

In this thesis we are concentrating on finding the effect of fluid viscous dampers on Multi-storey Using Etabs. A G+12 building was analyzed and from the results it was concluded that Employment of Fluid viscous dampers reduces storey displacement by 50 to 70 % in horizontal X direction and 33.00 to 67.00 %. Employment of Fluid viscous dampers can reduce storey drift by 20 to 70 % in the middle and lower storey in both X and Y directions.

Introduction

The text focuses on improving the seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures through Performance-Based Seismic Design (PBSD) and the use of Fluid Viscous Dampers (FVDs). PBSD emphasizes controlling displacements and predefined damage states rather than relying solely on strength-based design, making it particularly suitable for important buildings that must remain functional after earthquakes. Adding external vibration control systems, such as dampers, is highlighted as an effective strategy for mitigating seismic vibrations and enhancing structural safety.

The literature review shows consistent evidence that FVDs significantly improve seismic performance across RC and steel structures of varying heights. Prior studies report substantial reductions in base shear, inter-story drift, lateral displacement, and vibration response when FVDs are used. Comparisons with other systems—such as friction dampers (FDs) and lead rubber bearing (LRB) base isolation—indicate that:

• FDs may be more effective in low-rise buildings for reducing torsion,

• FVDs perform better in medium- and high-rise buildings,

• Combining base isolation and dampers can improve energy dissipation but may increase displacements in some cases.
  Overall, FVDs consistently reduce seismic demand by 40–70% depending on configuration, placement, and building geometry.

Several studies also discuss the importance of damper placement, staging configuration, and structural geometry, showing that optimal positioning strongly influences performance. Additional related research on elevated water tanks demonstrates that tank shape (circular vs. rectangular), staging height, and bracing patterns significantly affect seismic response, with circular tanks and optimized bracing generally performing better.

In the case study, a 13-storey (G+12) RC building located in seismic Zone III was modeled using two configurations:

• Model 1: RCC building without FVDs

• Model 2: RCC building with FVDs

Both models were analyzed under identical structural, seismic, and wind load parameters. Results show a significant reduction in storey displacements when FVDs are installed. For example, the maximum top-storey displacement in the X-direction reduced from 68 mm (without FVD) to 38 mm (with FVD), with similar reductions observed at all storey levels.

Conclusion

1) Employment of Fluid viscous dampers reduces storey displacement by 50 to 70 % in horizontal X direction and 33.00 to 67.00 % 2) Employment of Fluid viscous dampers can reduce storey drift by 20 to 70 % in the middle and lower storey in both X and Y directions

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Shubham Dudhe, Prof. R. M. Phuke. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.