Seismic retrofitting method for steel columns installing energy absorption segment

Presented in this paper is a new seismic retrofitting method for the rectangular steel column without sufficient ductility capacity in an existing steel bridge pier. It is intended in the method that plastic deformation is generated intensively only in a pre-selected energy absorption segment in the steel column to enhance the ductility capacity and to control the ultimate strength capacity of it. The structural behavior of the steel column with the energy absorption segment is investigated experimentally through a cyclic loading test and a pseudo-dynamic test. It is concluded that the sufficient ductility of the steel column can be obtained by the proposed retrofitting method with a little increment of their ultimate strength due to the retrofitting.