A Study of Seismic Behavior of Existing Steel Structures in Iran Using Cutting-Edge Technology of TADAS Dampers

Recent years have been witness to a surge in technologies for energy dissipation as a technique to enhance seismic resistant constructions. Civil engineers had to date been paying utmost attention to Lateral Load Resisting Systems to the point that they ignored the importance of the management of the energy exerted on the structure. In times of earth quakes, a lot of energy is exerted on buildings, which must be brought under control or be dispersed irrespective of the components of the structure. This study investigates various aspects of seismic performance of structures when such energy is unleashed. To achieve that end, passive energy dissipation systems such as TADAS (Triangular Added Damping & Stiffness) dampers may be used. Such systems help concentrate energy dissipation in dampers, reducing the necessity of energy dissipation in the main components of the structure. This study analyzes the seismic performance of a nine story steel structure augmented with TADAS dampers technology through nonlinear dynamic analyses, as well as, several linear analyses. In dynamic nonlinear analyses, the reaction of the structure to several earth quakes with various intensities was recorded and compared with design spectrum for seismic design of structures. First, a static structure analysis was performed. The tension level was registered. Then the structure was analyzed in seismic conditions. In order to investigate the effect of TADAS dampers on structures, the reaction of structures in buildings with TADAS dampers was compared with those without TADAS dampers with respect to story drift, base shear, dissipated energy, and placement of structural components. It was found that TADAS dampers help to concentrate dissipated energy, thus reduce the pressure on other structure components.

Keywords:

TADAS Damper , Energy Dissipation , Non-linear Dynamic Analysis , Seismic Behavior , Steel Structures