Adaptive Gyroscopic Feedback-Based Foundation Control for Sustainable and Automated Torsional Seismic Mitigation in Buildings

Abstract

Seismic-induced torsional response remains a significant barrier to achieving resilient and sustainable building foundations, as traditional passive isolation systems often fail to regulate rotational motion effectively. This study examines an adaptive gyroscopic feedback-based foundation control system designed to provide automated torsional seismic mitigation. The proposed system integrates real-time angular velocity sensing using MEMS gyroscopes, Kalman filter state estimation, and an adaptive Linear Quadratic Regulator to modulate damping in response to changing ground motion. A single-degree-of-freedom torsional foundation model was developed and evaluated in GNU Octave 8.4.0/MATLAB R2024a Simulink using the recorded El Centro 1940 NS earthquake input. The adaptive controller achieved notable improvements, reducing total vibration energy by 69%, peak angular displacement by 47.6%, and RMS angular velocity by 39.5% relative to the uncontrolled case, while keeping control energy below 19% of the seismic input. These results demonstrate that gyroscopic feedback enhances damping, limits torsional resonance, and stabilises foundation behaviour under actual earthquake excitation. The system’s low energy requirement, compatibility with embedded hardware, and automated response characteristics underscore its potential for integration into sustainable and intelligent foundation designs. While results are demonstrated using the El Centro 1940 record as a benchmark, broader generalisation will be established through multi-record suites and uncertainty quantification in future work. The study highlights a feasible pathway for advancing automated seismic protection in buildings through active, sensor-driven torsional control.