Abstract

Hybrid Simulation with Dynamic Substructuring (HSDS) is a mixed numerical/- experimental simulation techniques. In detail, HSDS combines a Physical Substructure(PS) -the most critical subpart- with a Numerical Substructure (NS), and a compliant time integration process calculates the overall dynamic response of the emulated system. With the objective to circumvent three among major limitations of HSDS, the present thesis offers methodological procedures and algorithms aimed at: i) emulating a consistent degradation between PSs and NSs via model updating techniques; ii) handling PSs characterized by several internal DoFs with a reduced number of interface actuation points; iii) improving the computational efficiency in the case of complex NSs via partitioned time integrators. An old reinforced concrete bridge and a steel piping network for industrial plants are introduced as full-scale structural case studies. Part of significant results were published on referee journals and proceedings of international conferences. Part of developed tools was uploaded to the NEESHub web repository that is a United States web platform for research, collaboration and education powered by the George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES).