Seismic Performance of Eccentrical Braced Frame Retrofitted by Box Damper in Vertical Links

Passive control methods reduced the vulnerability of structures to earthquakes by decreasing the seismic demand and improving structural plasticity. One of the passive control systems is the eccentrically braced frame with a vertical shear link (V-EBF). The present study aims to direct the damage to the absorbing plates of the vertical link beam to allow the structure’s appropriate seismic performance and reparability. Yielding dampers are one of the most widely used types in systems and can provide perfect vibration control if used optimally. Different types of dampers were introduced and used; how to use them depends on the shape and the way they connect to the structure. This research investigates a new type of damper called box damper, an improved type of shear panel damper. The improvement in the way of connecting to the braced frame and the ease of using this damper in different situations are the features of this new damper. This research investigated the mechanism of these yielding dampers in structures and their strengths and weaknesses. In the next step in this study, a V-EBF with plates of thickness 4, 6, and 8 mm was analysed in the finite element software ABAQUS using the nonlinear static analysis and cyclic loading conditions. Some examples of this damper were attached to the braced frames to investigate the effect of using this damper on the seismic behaviour of the braced structures. The results show that the shear link performs like an electrical fuse absorbing all damage and plastic hinges so that other elements of the braced frame remain in their nonlinear elastic region. By increasing the thickness of the damper from 2 to 8 mm, the resistance increased by two times, and the flexibility of the structure had a noticeable change with the rise in thickness from 2 mm to 8 mm. Ductility increased from 38 to 75 mm.

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