Experimental and analytical studies of the dynamic behavior of particle dampers prepared with waste cement‐based materials.

The particle damper made of steel balls has a great capability of vibration attenuation. However, its noise causes serious problems in the comfortability of structures. In this study, waste concrete aggregates and powders are utilized as particles in particle dampers, aiming to reduce the generated noise and achieve comparable performance as well as better environmental and ecological benefits. The parameters, including damper type, particle materials, earthquake waves, particle number, and tunning frequency on the damping performance, are investigated through free vibration test and shaking table tests. The results show that the damping ratio and seismic performance of this novel damper are comparable to those of the steel particle dampers. Moreover, simulation was conducted based on theoretical analysis. Finally, the generated sound is tested and proved less than the commonly adopted steel ball damper. This study can encourage the application of particle dampers by reducing noise and cost, besides, promotes the environmental benefits by extending the usage of recycled building materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]