Seismic Response Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Chimneys with Tuned Mass Damper

The current study focuses on the rapid growth of the industry, with a key component being chimneys that release gases into the atmosphere at high altitudes. However, tall chimneys are often susceptible to damage from seismic and wind loads. This study presents a seismic analysis of reinforced cement concrete (RCC) chimneys, comparing those with and without tuned mass dampers (TMDs). For the frequency and dynamic analyses, the study utilizes the lumped mass approximation approach and Newmark's numerical integration technique. The analysis is conducted on chimneys with heights of 275 m, 180 m, and 120 m, considering three different models: Model 1, Model 2, and Model 3. These models represent chimneys with varied thickness and diameter, constant thickness and varying diameter, and uniform thickness and diameter, respectively. To mitigate vibrations, TMD is installed at the top of the chimney, which absorbs the vibrational energy of the RCC chimneys. Various parameters are examined for all the chimneys, including fundamental natural frequencies, maximum absolute acceleration, maximum absolute displacement, maximum absolute base shear, and maximum bending moment. The results show that when a tuned mass damper is installed on top of the chimney, there is a reduction in the fundamental natural frequency, displacement, base shear, and bending moment. This reduction can be attributed to the absorption of vibration energy by the TMD, thereby improving the structural response of the chimney.