Title: Friction-Damped Concrete Shearwalls

Author(s): Avtar S. Pall and Cedric Marsh

Publication: Journal Proceedings

Volume: 78

Issue: 3

Appears on pages(s): 187-193

Keywords: cyclic loads; damping; ductility; dynamic structural analysis; dynamic tests; earthquake resistant structures; friction; high-rise buildings; hysteresis; loads (forces); optimization; reinforced concrete;

DOI: 10.14359/6916

Date: 5/1/1981

Abstract:
A new concept of aseismic design for cast-in-place concrete shearwalls is proposed. By sectionalizing the solid shearwalls vertically and coupling them together with friction joints, their earthquake resistance and damage control potential can be considerably enhanced. During severe earthquake excitations the joints slip and a large portion of vibrational energy is dissipated in friction alone with little dependence on ductility of the structural components. Furthermore, the slipping of joints softens the otherwise rigid wall which, in case of tall structures, is an added advantage as it reduces the in vita tion to seismic accelerations. Nonlinear time-history dynamic analysis has been used to study and to demonstrate how a shearwall can be "tuned" to obtain optimum seismic response. The proposed joints act, in effect, both as safety valves and structural dampers.