Dynamic experimental and numerical study of double beam–column joints in modern traditional‐style steel buildings with viscous damper

Abstract

SummaryModern traditional‐style steel (MTS) structure is an innovative architecture structure that is widely used in China. This paper explores the possibility of using viscous damper, which can be conveniently installed between beam and column, to replace “sparrow brace” at beam–column joints to improve its seismic capability. Three 1/2.6 scaled MTS double beam–column joints, one without viscous damper and two with viscous damper, were fabricated and tested under dynamic cyclic loading. The results indicated that the primary failure modes were cracking of base metal and local bucking at the beam ends. The hysteretic curve of specimens with viscous dampers was more plump than the common specimen without viscous dampers, indicating better energy dissipation capacity. The displacement ductility ratio was about 1.79–1.96, indicating the viscous damper has little effect on the ductility, whereas in plastic stage, the energy dissipation of specimens and viscous damper increased rapidly, indicating great energy dissipating function of viscous damper. Meanwhile, the results also proved that finite element analysis may stimulate and predict the mechanical behavior of MTS double beam joints with viscous dampers.