Advanced compressed elastomer dampers for earthquake hazard reduction to steel frames

Passive damping systems can improve the seismic performance of buildings by reducing drift and inelastic deformation demands on the primary lateral load resisting system, in addition to reducing the velocity and acceleration demands on non-structural components. Recent research shows that adding passive damper systems to steel MRFs enables significant reductions in the steel weight of the MRFs, while enhancing the seismic performance of the structure. This paper presents the development of an innovative compressed elastomer structural damper and evaluation of its hysteretic behaviour for applicability towards reducing seismic hazards to steel MRFs. The damper is constructed by pre-compressing a high damping elastomeric material into steel tubes. This innovative construction results in viscous-like damping under small strains and friction-like damping under larger strains, with pinching behaviour under very large strains. Characterization tests of the damper were performed and damper characteristics are derived for various amplitudes, temperatures and excitation frequencies.