# Shaking Table Tests of Suspended Structures Equipped with Viscous Dampers
## 1 Introduction  
Suspended structures containing structural art in nature have profound architectural artistic connotations and are expressions of structural beauty, which achieves the harmonic unification of structure and architecture, function and art, power and beauty, and has attracted the focus of many architects and engineers [1; 2; 3]. The HSBC (Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited) Bank in Hong Kong [4] is a typical mega-frame suspended structure, as shown in Figure 1.  
This kind of suspended structure system is mainly composed of three parts, namely, the primary mega-frame of the load-bearing structure, the rigid boom and the suspended floors. This structural system, utilizing the vibration of the suspended floors to adjust the dynamic characteristics of the primary structure, has a good seismic performance. The suspended floors are similar to a larger mass pendulum, like a tuned mass damper (TMD) [5; 6; 7] or multiple tuned mass damper (MTMD) [8; 9] system, and have even more advantages over these systems, in that no additional mass is required and the mass ratio is higher.  
Many theoretical studies have been carried out on the damping performance of suspended structures. [PERSON] et al. [10] established a continuous model of a shear-type suspended structure. Based on the motion equation for infinite degree of freedom shear bar, the frequency and mode equations of the shear-type suspended structure were derived, and the damping effect was studied. [PERSON] et al. [11] used the spatial dynamic analysis method to study high-rise suspended structures, proposed a spatial calculation model that can reasonably reflect the translation and rotation of space-suspended floors, and derived control equations for the dynamic responses of high-rise suspended structures. [PERSON] et al. [12] used a structural scheme as an example to establish an analytical model of the high-rise mega-frame suspended structure system, and studied the static dynamic characteristics and the influence laws of giant frame. [PERSON] et al. [13; 14], aiming to apply the mega-frame suspended structure system to high-rise buildings, studied the structural vibration control method compatible with its dynamic characteristics, established an algorithm for the lateral stiffness of the suspended structure system, and proposed a calculation method for the lateral stiffness of the mega-frame, considering the influence of axial force. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [15] considered that a mega-frame structural system was a perfect fit for the concept of the best structural system. The research of these people shows that mega-frame suspended structure systems have good shock absorbing performance. It also can be seen that most of the studies listed above have focused on abstract theoretical models. Moreover, the mega-frame and the suspended floors are either rigidly connected or not connected. Experimental studies are very few [16]. Although very limited theoretical and experimental research has been conducted in this area, existing research outcomes indicate that the mega-frame suspended structure has outstanding seismic performance.  
The shaking table test is one of the most effective methods to study and evaluate the seismic performance of complex buildings. Many researchers, including [PERSON] [17; 18] and [PERSON] [19], have conducted scale model tests on shaking tables to study the seismic performance of tall or high-rise buildings. These shaking table tests have provided important references for the present work.  
Figure 1: The HSBC Bank in Hong Kong. (**a**) Picture; (**b**) longitudinal section; (**c**) cross section.  
In this paper, a mega-frame damping suspended structure system was studied. Between the primary structure and the sub-structure, viscous dampers were installed, and the shaking table tests were then carried out to study the vibration damping performance and the damping effect.