Computational Comparison of Performance of Different Steel Plate Shear Yielding Dampers

The computational modeling of hysteretic dampers is a powerful tool for design, allowing us to predict and optimize damper performance. In this research, a numerical model, based on Chaboche’s nonlinear kinematic hardening constitutive law, was implemented. The parameters of this law were identified and validated by inverse analysis, based on the macro-hysteretic response of the hexagonal honeycomb steel damper. The validated model was applied to simulate the cyclic loading behavior of five proposed steel plate shear yielding dampers (SPSYDs), which were then used to compare the hysteretic performance in terms of effective stiffness, effective damping, and energy dissipation capacity. The parametric analysis of design variables performed on the SPSYDs demonstrated that the plate depth does not modify the effective damping, and the thickness is the most significant factor affecting the maximum displacement, dissipation energy and endurance cycles. The comparison of the performance of the dampers allowed us to establish design guidelines for the SPSYDs, which allow the device to be adjusted with the requirements of the building in which it is installed.