Optimizing Multidirectional Torsional Hysteretic Damper Specifications using Harmony Search

Multidirectional torsional hysteretic damper is a new type of damper that can be used to isolate and dissipate seismic effects on a structure. It can be designed to have a controllable post-elastic stiffness and exhibit high levels of damping as well as stable cyclic response. In this article, while offering a simplified numerical relationship for force-displacement response of the damper, the structure that is fitted with this innovative type of damper is optimized using the harmony search optimization procedure with discrete design variables. Numerical experiments show that the harmony search methodology can determine the damper parameters with high computational efficiency and outperform genetic algorithm and simulated annealing procedure in this regard.