Numerical studies of friction damped post-tensioned connections

The aim of this research is to investigate a new type of post-tensioned connections named post-tensioned friction damped connections (PFDC). In the proposed connection, high strength steel strands running parallel to the beam web were used to transmit the moment and shear force from the beams to the column. They also provided restoring force that returns connections to its initial position. Providing energy dissipation capacity, friction devices were supplemented at the beam-column interface. The designed posttensioned (PT) connections were numerically modeled to study their behavior. The results obtained were validated against experimental ones, which showed a good agreement. The results indicated that friction devices are capable to provide stable energy dissipation capacity, needless of being replaced after severe earthquakes. Moreover, the proposed connection has high moment capacity and stiffness with good selfcentering capability. An analytical model was proposed to predict monotonic response of proposed PT connection. The model could accurately estimate decompression moment and capacity at each story drift.

Keywords:

steel structures , post-tensioned connections , friction device , self-centering , numerical analysis