Beyond Stiffness: Architecting Dynamic Resilience in High-Rise Structures through Advanced Damping, Adaptive Control, and Bracing Synergy

The escalating global urbanization has driven the proliferation of slender high-rise structures, inherently exposing them to pronounced vulnerabilities under dynamic environmental forces, particularly strong winds and seismic excitations. Traditional stiffness-centric design paradigms have proven increasingly ineffective and economically unfeasible for achieving contemporary performance objectives and occupant comfort. This chapter critically reviews advanced vibration control strategies, presenting cutting-edge research on passive, semi-active, and novel damping technologies to address this imperative and enhance the safety, resilience, and sustainability of modern urban infrastructure. We elucidate the context-dependent optimal parameters for viscoelastic (Maxwell) dampers, demonstrating how stiffness ratios can be calibrated for distinct excitation types. For semi-active control, Magnetorheological dampers, strategically integrated with motion amplification via lever mechanisms and flexible bracing, are shown to dramatically elevate modal damping ratios. Notably, a decentralized bang-bang control exhibits superior performance, effectively mitigating damper-induced shocks when coupled with flexible bracing. A central contribution is the rigorous comparative analysis of innovative systems: the novel Pounding Tuned Mass Damper consistently demonstrates superior robustness and efficacy in seismic mitigation, achieving unprecedented reductions in peak accelerations, displacements, base shear, and inter-story drifts, thereby critically minimizing non-structural damage and economic losses. Conversely, the Tuned Mass Damper Inerter is critically evaluated, revealing that neglecting the inerter’s non-negligible physical mass can lead to sub-optimal performance, with an equivalent classical Tuned Mass Damper occasionally outperforming it. This comprehensive study underscores that damping enhancement, through tailored and hybrid control solutions, represents the most impactful and cost-effective pathway to architecting dynamic resilience amidst evolving environmental challenges.