Experimental study on viscoelastic damper with amplified mechanism and seismic mitigation evaluation

Summary In this study, a viscoelastic damper (VED) employing an additional amplification device is proposed to enhance the stiffness as well as energy dissipation. The mechanical model of the amplified viscoelastic damper (AVED) is developed and the amplification efficiency is explored. The mechanical behaviors of AVED and the traditional VED are experimentally investigated. By adopting a leverage system, the stiffness and the dissipated energy of AVED are significantly improved and the amplification factors are confirmed. Meanwhile, the seismic responses and structural damages are addressed through a numerical study on a frame attached to the AVEDs and VEDs. The AVED reinforced building employing fewer dampers has close seismic responses compared with VED reinforced building. Furthermore, the installation of AVEDs significantly reduces the risk of structural damage.