20.1 Read the text, then answer the question: what is Kemet-Yageo Corporation?
KEMET-YAGEO CORPORATION
Kemet-Yageo Corporation is an American company dedicated to research and materials science with innovation centers around the world. This company is specialised in sustainable smart materials, with special focus on telecommunications, civil engineering, and electromechanics.
■ Application of piezoelectric actuators in structural response control
In civil engineering, ensuring the stability and safety of structures during dynamic events like earthquakes is crucial. Smart materials, particularly piezoelectric actuators, have been explored for their potential in active structural control systems. Researchers at Kemet-Yageo have investigated the use of piezoelectric actuators to control the response of a four-floor building subjected to seismic excitations. The actuators were strategically placed at the base of the columns to produce bending moments, counteracting the forces induced by ground motion.
■ Methodology
Engineers have led experiments following this three-step methodology:
• Actuator placement: piezoelectric actuators were installed at the bottom of the columns to introduce controlled bending moments;
• Control algorithm: a model matching method was employed to develop a control algorithm that adjusted the actuators’ response in real-time based on the detected structural movements;
• Testing: shaking table tests simulated earthquake conditions to evaluate the effectiveness of the control system.
■ Results
The study demonstrated that integrating piezoelectric actuators with an appropriate control algorithm could effectively reduce the amplitude of vibrations in the structure during seismic events.
This application of smart materials offers a promising approach to enhancing the resilience of buildings and infrastructure in earthquake-prone areas and exemplifies how smart materials like piezoelectric actuators can be utilised to develop adaptive systems that improve structural performance under dynamic loading conditions, paving the way for improvements and further applications.
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Soluzione suggerita: It is an American company dedicated to research and materials science and specialised in sustainable smart materials.
20.2 After reading the text in the previous exercise, answer the question: what is a function of piezoelectric actuators?
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Soluzione suggerita: They ensure the stability and safety of structures during dynamic events like earthquakes.
20.3 After reading the text in Exercise 20.1, answer the question: where were the actuators placed for the test?
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Soluzione suggerita: They were strategically placed at the base of some columns to produce bending moments.
20.4 After reading the text in Exercise 20.1, answer the question: what was the function of the control algorithm?
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Soluzione suggerita: It adjusted the actuators’ response in real-time based on the detected structural movements.
20.5 After reading the text in Exercise 20.1, answer the question: what did the study demonstrate?
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Soluzione suggerita: The study demonstrated that integrating piezoelectric actuators with an appropriate control algorithm could effectively reduce the amplitude of vibrations in the structure.
20.6 After reading the text in Exercise 20.1, answer the question: where can this kind of actuator be used?
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Soluzione suggerita: In buildings and infrastructure in earthquake-prone areas.