| Title | Earthquake Simulator Testing of Steel Plate Added Damping and Stiffness Elements |
| Authors | Whittaker, Andrew; Bertero, Vitelmo; Alonso, Javier; Thompson, Christopher |
| Publication | Earthquake Engineering Research Center, Report No. UCB/EERC-89/02, January 1989. |
| Objectives | To determine the degree of effectiveness of ADAS elements for: (1) seismic application in general; and (2) retrofitting ductile moment resisting space frames. |
| Abstract | Added Damping and Stiffness (ADAS) elements are mechanical devices that are designed to be installed in either new or existing buildings. ADAS elements, if properly designed and installed, can serve to: (1) increase the strength, stiffness and usable energy dissipation of a conventional DMRSF; and (2) substantially increase the energy dissipation capacity of a concentrically braced system. The principle objective of the studies reported herein was to invesigate the behavior of the steel X-plate ADAS elements patented by Bechtel Power Corporation. The ultimate goals of this research were to determine the degree of effectiveness of ADAS elements for: (1) seismic applications in general; and (2) retrofitting ductile moment resisting space frames (DMRSF). To achieve these goals, a series of integrated analytical and experimental studies were undertaken. These studies included: (1) an experimental evaluation of the mechanical characteristics of 4-Plate, 6-Plate and 7-Plate ADAS elements (component tests); and (2) a series of earthquake simulator tests on a DMRSF retrofitted with ADAS elements -- these tests quantified the degree of effectiveness of the ADAS elements in dissipating the input energy and reducing the earthquake's damage potential. All of the ADAS elements exhibited stable hysteretic behavior with no signs of stiffnees or strength degradation for displacement amplitudes of up to......... |
