Passive damping technology for buildings in Japan

This paper first reviews the concept of the damage-controlled structure (DCS) which is a kind of passive damping technology, proposed before the Hyogoken-Nanbu Earthquake in Japan and the Northridge Earthquake in the USA. The philosophy, the necessity and the potential of the damage-controlled structure are stated in the first two sections of this paper. Second, a modified shear-bending beam model and a rational dynamic analysis method of three-dimensional frame for the damage-controlled structure with passive energy dissipation devices are reviewed. Thirdly, a series of dynamic loading test results of modeled damage-controlled steel frame with hysteretic dampers are presented. Finally, a number of actual example building projects which exemplify the current seismic design trend using the passive damping technology in Japan are reviewed.