Advances in Real-Time Hybrid Testing Technology for Shaking Table Substructure Testing

Shaking table substructure testing takes the substructure with complex behavior physically tested, with the behavior of the rest structural system being numerically simulated. This substructure testing allows the payload of a shaking table being fully utilized in testing of the most concerned part, thus significantly increases its loading capacity. The key to achieve a successful shaking table substructure test is to coordinate among the substructures, specifically, to satisfy compatibility, equilibrium, and synchronization at the boundary between numerical and experimental substructures. A number of studies have focused on the essential techniques of shaking table substructure testing, and several applications have been carried out. Nonetheless, its progress is still in the preliminary stage, because of the limited applications using multi-directional shaking tables on large-scale specimens. This paper reviews a series of shaking table substructure tests and their associated implementation aspects including hybrid testing frameworks, time integration algorithms, delay compensation methods, shaking table and actuator control schemes and boundary force measurement methods. The key techniques required for a successful test are also stressed, such as the force control of actuators to coordination among the substructures. Finally, challenges for future studies and applications are identified and presented.