ABSTRACT
Shaking-tables represent a powerful tool in Earthquake Engineering, allowing the researcher to emulate the forces of nature in the laboratory. Due to the large-scale motions involved in the process, the non-linearities inherent in the device and the significant mass/inertia of the specimen being tested, the control system plays a critical role in achieving a successful outcome to each experiment. In this paper, we describe a recently developed adaptive control algorithm for shaking-tables. The results of implementing the algorithm on shaking-tables are also included. Benchmark test results show that the adaptive algorithm achieves the required excellence of acceleration control, despite gross parameter changes in the table/specimen dynamics. This is in stark contrast with the results obtained, under the same test conditions, from a conventional table control system.
