Replaceable Rotational Viscoelastic Dampers for Improving Structural Damping and Resilience of Steel Frames

A replaceable rotational viscoelastic damper (RRVD) which has the potential for replacing the existing steel beam-column connections is proposed for steel frame buildings subject to dynamic vibrations. The RRVD is used with a sacrificial fuse segment to protect the structure at large inter-story drifts. A low-damage solution for the floor diaphragm with the RRVDs is also proposed. The test result confirms that the failure of the new connection is governed by fuse damage. Moreover, the RRVDs improve the system damping and reduces the earthquake-induced roof acceleration and the peak inter-story drift by up to 30%.

Automated summary

A replaceable rotational viscoelastic damper (RRVD) is proposed for steel frame buildings to replace the existing steel beam-column connections. The RRVD, used with a sacrificial fuse segment, aims to protect the structure at large inter-story drifts. The test result confirms that the failure of the new connection is governed by fuse damage. Moreover, the RRVDs improve the system damping and reduce the earthquake-induced roof acceleration and the peak inter-story drift by up to 30%.