Prediction of Beyond Design and Residual Performances of Viscoelastic Dampers by a Simplified Fractional Derivative Model

Abstract

When subjected to excessive shear deformation, viscoelastic (VE) dampers may inevitably suffer from damages, due to their VE material layers with limited thickness. Under the circumstance, their stiffness and energy dissipation capabilities may deteriorate but not totally vanish. To estimate the seismic performances of viscoelastically damped structures, the beyond design and residual performances of damaged VE dampers are crucial to protect structures from severe failure during the following main shock or aftershocks. On the other hand, for new viscoelastically damped structures under the normal design earthquakes, neglecting the residual performance of damaged VE dampers may result in nonconservative design. Thus, this study aims to provide approaches to analytically characterize the beyond design and residual performances of damaged full-scale VE dampers. Based on the simplified fractional derivative model, the analytical predictions have been compared with the experimental results. The proposed model works well for the design performance of the intact full-scale VE dampers. Particularly, it can also reproduce the beyond design and residual performances of damaged full-scale VE dampers, if due consideration is taken of the effects of excitation frequencies, ambient temperatures, temperature rises, softening, and hardening.