Unified control platform for real time dynamic hybrid simulation

Real Time Dynamic Hybrid Simulation (RTDHS) was first proposed for structural engineering to evaluate the seismic performance of structural systems/components by combining the physical test and numerical simulation. During a hybrid simulation, the whole structure under investigation is divided into two parts. The part being physically constructed and tested is considered as the experimental substructure. The physical test can be conduced using either shake tables or dynamic actuators or both of them depending on the researcher's interest. The rest part of the structure, named as the computational substructure, is numerically modeled and simulated so the dynamic effect on experimental substructure at the interface is determined and applied by physical loading systems. The RTDHS is a force-based method and includes the currently used seismic testing methods within a unified formulation developed in this dissertation.; The hardware components necessary for RTDHS were integrated into a unified control platform, which includes Structural and Seismic Testing Controllers; Data Acquisition and Information Streaming and Real Time Hybrid Simulation Controllers. A framework to drive the RTDHS test was designed and implemented to fulfill the function, such as structure response simulations, interface force calculations and compensations necessary to synchronize all components as well as their imperfect performance. The test platform developed facilitates not only the local RTDHS test but addresses geographically distributed hybrid simulation as well. Its flexible architecture allows to make improvements without modifying the hardware infrastructure.; While a number of tests were performed in medium scale, a small scale pilot setup including a one story shear model, an actuator and a one directional shake table were constructed for the proof-of-concept of the proposed unified control platform. A three story hybrid simulated structure was tested. Test results verify the concept of the proposed unified formulation in RTDHS and the feasibility of the corresponding operating platform.