APPLICATION OF TUNED MASS DAMPERS FOR BRIDGE DECKS

Christian MEINHARDT
Dr.-Ing.
Project Engineer
Gerb Vibration Control Systems
Essen, Germany

Summary
This contribution gives an introduction about the design and the practical application of Tuned Mass
Dampers (TMD). Especially the practical adaptation of the theoretical defined optimum specification and the
effect of all relevant parameters will be discussed. On the basis of realized footbridge projects where TMDs
have been successfully applied to reduce the occurring vibrations, practical ways for an experimental
determination of the relevant dynamic behaviour and the in situ assessment of the TMD effectiveness will be
introduced.
Keywords:
1.

Footbridge, Damping Ratio, Tuned Mass Damper; TMD Specification

Introduction Basics on TMDs

Due to the trend of constructing ever lighter and filigree load-carrying structures, footbridges are becoming
more susceptible to vibrations caused by pedestrians or wind. Usually, these vibrations impact only the
serviceability of the bridges since the desired level of comfort is no longer attained. However, in some
cases, the vibrations of the bridges are so extreme that damages can arise or, in extreme cases, the
structural integrity of the bridge can be at risk.
The primary reason for the occurring, perturbing vibrations is resonance. That means the vibrations only
occur for an excitation of the structure with a frequency which is similar to the natural frequency or a multiple
of it. A complex structure exhibits more than one natural frequency. The number of natural frequencies that
are in range of those which will be excited by wind- or human- induced vibrations depends on the
engineering design, the dimensions and material of the structure.

Fig.1

Applied TMD at a Footbridge

Each natural frequency is associated with a defined natural mode which characterizes the swinging
behaviour of the structure. Natural modes can be bending modes in vertical and horizontal direction or
torsional modes. They appear in different orders, where the order of the mode exposes the number of
minima and maxima for the certain kind of bending or torsional mode. The higher the order of the natural
mode, the higher is the associated natural frequency.
For the case that an excitation causes a resonance-like vibration state, the damping associated with the
natural mode of the considered structure is relatively small. Damping is a combination of material damping,
depending on the used material, and on the structural damping which is defined by the structures
constructive design. Concrete structures reveal a higher damping than do steel structures, not only because
concrete exhibits a higher material damping, but also because the interaction between concrete and
reinforcement increases the general damping. Welded steel structures, for example, are supposed to exhibit
the lowest damping. The small damping in the case of a resonance-like excitation effects a slow abatement
of the vibrations.
In order to improve the dynamic behaviour of a footbridge, the structural stiffness of the bridge has to be
increased so that its natural frequencies are out of the range typically excited by pedestrians or wind, or
structural damping of the bridge has to be increased. The most effective way to increase the structural
damping and improve the dynamic behaviour is the application of dampers (buffers, shock absorbers,
Dampers) or TMDs (Tuned Mass Dampers) that significantly reduce resonance-like excitation related
vibrations (see Fig. 1).

Frequency Ratio f/f0

Fig.2

Amplification of an
additional spring mass
system - no damping
Amplification

simplified model
1 degree of freedom
model
Amplification

Amplification

A TMD is a vibrating mass that displays movements which are contrary to those of the main structure. To
attain these contrary movements, the mass is elastically support and tuned for the frequency that has to be
eliminated. The contrary movements cause inertial forces that compensate the structures movements by
depriving vibration-energy from the structure. That leads to an increase of damping. Additionally the
interaction between TMD and structure causes a subdivision of the natural frequencies (Fig. 2).

Frequency Ratio f/f0

Amplification of an
additional spring
mass system damped

Frequency Ratio f/f0

Effect of a Tuned Mass Damper

The advantage of using TMDs is that, unlike with the use of dampers, shock absorbers etc., no fixed-point
are required. It is simply force-fitted to the structure. Compared to the additional structural mass that is
required to increase the structural damping conventionally, the necessary TMD mass is only a fraction,
which allows also a subsequent application with no bigger improvements in the structural design.
The following will give an introduction about an evaluation of footbridges regarding their vibration
susceptibility especially to human induced vibrations and will define empirical values to estimate structural
damping ratio of footbridges.
For an application of Tuned Mass Dampers the definition of the optimum specification is discussed and
compared to practical conditions. The design of TMDs will also be introduced. Finally some example
projects will be presented.

2. Practical adaptive TMD specifications - optimization

Dynamic Amplification

The TMD specifications effective mass, tuning frequency and TMD damping ratio- can be determined
regarding a 2 degree of freedom model (see Fig. 3).

without TMD

Frequency Ratio

Fig. 3

Two degree of freedom model - Amplification functions for several tuning frequencies

(1)

An amplification function can be derived by using the equations of motion for the coupled structural mass
and the TMD mass (1), by applying an exponential approach (2), (3) an simplifying the equation using the
terms that are displayed in (4).
(2)

(3)

(4)

Introducing dimensionless terms (5) and identifying the natural frequencies H,T using (6) leads to the
system of equations (7) that can be used to calculate the amplification functions for the deflection UH0 under
a static load FH displayed in Fig. 5 for several tuning frequencies.
(5)

(6)

(7)

Beside the tuning frequency fT of the TMD and its Damping ratio cT the TMD effect significantly depends on
the ratio between the structures mass and the TMD-mass . By comparing the results, optimum values
(minimum amplification) for the TMD specifications can be defined that depend from each other. An
analytical optimization of the TMD specification considering all parameters becomes difficult. Therefore DEN
HARTOG has specified a solution, disregarding the structural damping (8).

Eq. 7
(8)

The diagram, shown in Figure 4, shows the curves for the optimized TMD parameters which should be only
applied for harmonic excitations of the structure.

fT/fH

opt

fT/fH opt

= mT/mH

Fig. 4

Optimization of TMD parameters [6]

Regarding the practical application of TMDs, two problems have to be considered that influence the design
of the dampers. On one hand it is difficult to achieve the optimized damping ratio for all conditions and for
the life cycle of the structure that has to be protected. On the other hand, the dynamic loads, caused by the
relative movements of the TMD shall be limited to minimize the impact to the structure as well as to
guarantee the TMD performance for its life cycle. These supplementary conditions to the optimum TMD
specification lead to the question how much the reduction effect of a TMD depends on the damping ratio
and the tuning frequency, which also varies due to the nonlinearities, temperature or additional masses on
the bridge.

Figure 5 shows the amplification functions for four variations of TMD specifications. The movements of the
structure without and with TMD are shown as well as the movements of the TMD itself. The diagrams show
that the TMD movements reduce with a bigger TMD mass. Also it can be seen, that the reduction effect
increases with an increase of the TMD mass while the increase of the TMDs damping ratio does not effect
the reduction due to the TMD.

Fig. 5

Variations of TMD specifications resulting amplification functions

The variation with a bigger TMD mass is also less effected by the shifted frequency. These trends can be
summarized by the graphs that are displayed in Figure 6.
The diagrams withdrawn from an analytical two degree of freedom model - show that the Amplitude
reduction, which is displayed by the factor that is characterized by the structures movement UH and the
movement of the bridge without a TMD U0 strongly depends on the applied TMD mass. That also applies for
the relative TMD movements UT / U0 which become smaller by using a higher TMD mass. The diagram also
shows that a reasonable increase of the TMD damping ratio (< 30%) compared to the optimum damping
ratio opt does not effect the reduction UH / U0 while a undervalued damping ratio decreases the reduction
effect and leads to bigger TMD movements UT / U0. So for a practical adaptation, the TMD ratio should be
set greater that the optimum damping ratio to limit the TMD movements and to guarantee the effectiveness
of the damping element (viscous damper) which might be subjected to fluctuations (temperature / humidity
etc.)
Figure 6 also shows that the reduction effect is less influenced by a detuning - for example due to incorrect
dynamic calculations that were used for the design or due to nonlinear ascendancies such as temperature
or additional masses when the tuning frequency is lower that the structures natural frequency. That
means that a tuning frequency below the optimum frequency fopt should be specified. Again the lower the
tuning frequency regarding the structures natural frequency, the smaller are the relative movements.

Fig. 6

Left: Amplitude reduction due to a TMD depending on the frequency ratio f/fH and the damping ratio /opt
Right: Normalized TMD movements UT/U0 depending on the frequency ratio f/fH and the damping ratio /opt

UH/U0

The results of this theoretical examination have been considered for the design of TMDs in several projects.
Particulars about the design components are described in the following chapter. Figure 7 shows the
experimentally determined reduction ratio UH / U0 depending on the applied TMD mass related to the modal
mass of the structure for conducted projects and displays a fair agreement with the theoretical results.

Fig. 7

Experimentally determined reduction ratio against the applied mass ratio for several conducted projects

3. Practical Assessment of the Dynamic Behaviour Concepts for a TMD application

For a TMD specification to successfully reduce human or wind induced vibrations, the following information
are required:
-

Natural frequency in which the footbridge is susceptible

Corresponding mode shape (maximum of deflections)

Corresponding modal mass

Movements of the structure without TMD

The uncertain parts this relevant information can be defined by dynamic calculations or more accurate, by
in-situ measurements of the structures dynamic behaviour. Usually the natural frequencies, the
corresponding modes and damping ratios are determined by an experimental modal analysis, where the
modal displacements (displacements according to the frequency range) of a representing grid of measuring
points are measured for an ambient excitation (see Fig. 8). Knowing the displacements and their phase for
each characteristic frequency, the mode shapes can be displayed according to the geometric grid. This
method is elaborate and needs a certain expenditure of time.

Fig. 8

Required grid of measuring points for an experimental modal analysis

According to their construction type, footbridges display relevant mode shapes (vertical, horizontal and
torsional) that can be generalized (see Fig. 9). To determine these expected generalized mode shapes, a
more simplified testing method can be applied. To identify the relevant vertical mode shapes it is sufficient to
measure the occurring vibrations due to an ambient or impulse-like excitation simultaneously at only 2-3
points in mid-span, quarter-span respectively third-span. Analyzing for which frequency the measuring
points show bigger vibrations (see Fig. 10b), leads to an identification of mode shapes. The determination of
the horizontal mode shapes happens analogously. Considering the phasing of the recorded time histories,
the torsion modes can be identified as well (see Fig. 10a).
Knowing the natural frequencies and the corresponding mode shapes the vibration susceptibility of the
bridge deck can be assessed, exciting the bridge deck by jumping with a given beat according to the
determined natural frequencies.

Fig. 9

First two vertical deck mode shapes of several footbridge types measurement point layout to capture these mode shapes

For each susceptible mode, the damping ratio can be determined analyzing the decaying behaviour of the bridges
vibrations.
a)

b)
MP1
1st Mode Shape

2nd Mode Shape

phasing
MP2

Fig.10

a) First two horizontal an torsional deck mode shapes measurement point layout to capture these mode shapes
b) Frequency spectrum on two measuring points to identify the mode shapes

In many cases it is required to apply TMDs for more than just one natural mode. Therefore the TMDs have to be placed
at the locations of the biggest deflections for each mode (see Fig.11). In case TMDs for different mode shapes are
placed at the same location (vertical and torsional modes), the reduction effect due to the interaction of the TMDs can be
estimated with the diagrams in Figure 6 subject to the tuning frequency difference of the TMDs and the modal masses
for each mode shape. To estimate the interaction effect for TMDs in different locations, more complex calculations that
capture the precise mass distribution such as Finite Element Calculations are required.

1st Mode

2nd Mode

TMD 1st mode

TMD 2nd mode

Fig.11

TMD layout for different vibration susceptible mode shapes

The effectiveness of an applied TMD system can be determined with the same measurement campaigns that were used
to determine the dynamic behaviour of the bridge deck. Therefore it is sufficient to assess the increase of structural
damping due to the TMDs and to identify the occurring vibrations for a defined load case with and without TMD.
Figure 12 shows the time history of recorded vibrations for a load case. It can be clearly seen that the vibrations reduced
and the damping ratio increased due to the application of TMDs.

100

without TMD

Vibration Velocity [mm/s]

80

with TMD
60
40
20
0
-20
-40
-60
-80
-100
0

10

12

14

16

Time [s]

Fig.12

Time history of recorded vibrations for a defined load case without and with TMD

4. Summary
Due to the application of Tuned Mass Dampers the dynamic behaviour of footbridges can be enhanced to reduce the
vibration susceptibility to human and wind induced vibrations. It has been shown, that the optimum TMD specifications
have to follow practical aspects such as allowable TMD movements and the allowance of detuned TMDs and variations
of the damping ratio. This paper also documents the adequate results to asses the dynamic behaviour and the vibration
susceptibility of foot bridges with simplified measuring methods.
5. References
[1]

C. PETERSEN ,Dynamik der Baukonstruktionen, Vieweg Verlag, 1996

[2]

J.P. DEN HARTOG,Mechanische Schwingungen, 2. Edition, Springer Verlag, 1952

[3]

B. WEBER, Lecture Tragwerksdynamik, ETH Zrich, 2002

[4]

H. BACHMANN, W. AMMAN,Schwingungsprobleme bei Bauwerken: Durch Menschen und Maschinen induzierte

Schwingungen, IABSE, 1987

[5]

H. BACHMANN, Vibration Problems in Structures- Practical Guidelines, Birkhuser Verlag, 1995

[6]

C. PETERSEN, Schwingungsdmpfer im Ingenieurbau, Maurer und Shne GmbH, 2001

[7]

H. GRUNDMANN ET AL., Schwingungsuntersuchungen von Fugngerbrcken, Bauingenieur Vol. 68, Springer

Verlag, 1993

[8]

Y. MATSUMOTO ET AL., Dynamic Design of footbridges, IABSE, 1978

[9]

C. MEINHARDT, Application of TMD for bridge decks Footbridge Vibration Design edited by e. Caetano, A.
Cunha, W. Hoorpah, J. Raoul, CRC Press 2009