Influence of Viscoelastic Dampers on the Seismic Response of a Lightly Reinforced Concrete Flat Slab Structure

Abstract

A 1/3-scale model of a section of a three-story lightly reinforced concrete flat slab structure was constructed. Researchers installed a viscoelastic damper (VED) seismic rehabilitation system on the model and subjected it to seismic simulations on a shaking table. Successive simulations were conducted with increasing base accelerations until the horizontal displacement limit of the shaking table was reached. The dampers were then removed, and the simulations were repeated until structural failure occurred. This paper summarizes the responses of the model. Brief comparisons of the responses of the model with and without VEDs installed are made. The VEDs improved energy dissipation characteristics and serviceability of the structure by reducing interstory displacements. Earthquake simulation responses indicated that the damper configuration that was employed in the experimental investigation permitted rotations of the VEDs, which lowered their energy dissipation efficiency. An alternate arrangement for the VEDs is proposed to alleviate this problem.