Accuracy and stability evaluation of structural property dependent algorithms for real-time hybrid simulation

Real Time Hybrid Simulation divides a structure into experimental and analytical substructures. The experimental substructures are physically tested in laboratories while the analytical substructures are computationally modelled using finite element programming. An integration algorithm is used to solve the equation of motions for the structural response to be applied to the substructures. Real-time hybrid simulation therefore provides an effective and efficient technique to evaluate structural performance under earthquakes. Explicit integration algorithms are preferred over implicit algorithm since they does not involve iterations. Structural property dependent methods such as the CR and KR-a algorithms therefore have been widely applied in real-time hybrid simulations for structural laboratories around the world. However, accurate estimation of structural properties is required to determine the integration parameters. This research explores the effect of parameter estimation on the stability and accuracy of structural property dependent integration algorithms, thus providing a guideline for general application of these algorithms in structural testing involving rate-dependent devices.