Seismic performance enhancement of telecommunication towers without viscous damper

Telecommunication towers are major infrastructures that are required to be functional during and after the occurrence of an earthquake. Since these towers have slender designs and structures are raised, such towers become very vulnerable to the effects of seismic forces leading to structural damage and loss of service. The study focuses on the application of viscous dampers within telecommunication towers with the objective of improving the seismic resilience of such structures. Viscous dampers are embedded in the tower structure at specific locations to dissipate energy and reduce structural vibrations from seismic loading. The seismic response of the towers with and without dampers is evaluated using FEA simulations for various ground motion scenarios. The key parameters, such as displacement, stress distribution, and damping efficiency, are analysed to quantify the improvement in seismic performance. This is an indication that inclusion of viscous dampers will significantly reduce the values of displacement and stress under such an earthquake condition, and this means that it increases their stability and safety. Also, this provides an excellent avenue to use viscous dampers in the retrofitting of existing structures as well as in the design of new structures in seismic-sensitive areas.