Damping measurements of steel poles and tubular towers

The evaluation of the wind-induced response of light and slender structures is strictly bound to damping modeling. While several papers exist dealing with damping of buildings, forecasting models concerning steel poles and tu bular towers are almost totally lacking. In order to properly appreciate th is quantity, an experimental full-scale activity has been undertaken whose aim, execution and results are herein described. At present, four structure s have been investigated providing, for each of them, the logarithmic dampi ng decrement as a function of motion amplitude. Results illustrated by this paper are part of a wider research aimed at. formulating suitable damping models and analyzing the role of this parameter in the wind-excited respons e of structures. (C) Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.