Simplified seismic code design procedure for friction-damped steel frames

Abstract

This paper describes the development of a proposed seismic design procedure for friction-damped steel structures, which employs the lateral force provisions used in many modern building codes. Closed-form expressions are first derived that relate the normalized response of a single degree of freedom friction-damped system with the system parameters, such as bracing stiffness ratio, damper slip ratio, and frame member ductility. A parametric analysis is then used to reveal that the seismic displacement of a friction-damped frame can be controlled by combining the frame stiffness with the bracing stiffness of the friction damper component, while the seismic force can be controlled by the damper slip force. A force modification factor (equivalent to the code R-factor) and displacement estimate for a friction-damped system are next determined. The single degree of freedom results are subsequently used to develop expressions for dealing with the multi degree of freedom situation, which permits the seismic lateral force design procedure adopted by many current building codes to be applied to friction-damped systems. The proposed procedure allows the frame response to be controlled so that the displacement can be limited to small magnitudes and the overall structural shape to an essentially straight-line deformation. Design examples illustrate that friction-damped frame systems are economical and offer a better overall response performance than that provided by conventional systems under the design earthquake.Key words: passive energy dissipation system, friction damper, steel frame, design procedure, static analysis.