Displacement control design concept for long-period structures: Design strategies for high-rise and seismically isolated buildings subjected to strong ground motions

Recently in Japan, an issue of excessive displacements induced by long-period/long-duration ground motions are attracting public attention. Indeed, many high-rise buildings in Tokyo far away from the epicenter suffered large displacements and long-duration shaking induced by long-period components of the ground motions in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. To address this issue, the authors have been developing control strategies and devices that can suppress excessive displacements in long-period structures without increasing response shear forces and floor response accelerations. This paper provides brief review of the newly developed design concept Displacement Control Design and innovative devices that implement the concept.