Displacement Estimation of a Skyscraper during Super Typhoon Mangkhut Based on Limited Measurements of Accelerations and Strains

Abstract

This paper develops a horizontal displacement estimation framework for wind-excited high-rise buildings based on limited measurements of accelerations and strains and applies it to reconstruct the displacement responses of a 600-m-high skyscraper in Shenzhen, China, during Super Typhoon Mangkhut on September 16, 2018. A field measurement study was conducted to verify the reliability and effectiveness of the framework based on the acceleration and strain responses of the skyscraper during Typhoon Kompasu. Then, the horizontal displacements of the skyscraper during the passage of Mangkhut were reconstructed by the framework based on the measurements of accelerations at one floor and strain responses at four floors, and the accuracy of the reconstructed displacement responses was subsequently validated in both time and frequency domains. In the final, the along-wind and across-wind responses as well as the resonant and background components of the reconstructed displacements during the extreme typhoon event were investigated. This paper aims to provide useful information for structural health monitoring and wind-resistant design of supertall buildings in tropical cyclone-prone regions.