Theoretical and Experimental Study on a Cam-Type Response Amplification Friction Damper

Recently, amplification devices are introduced to improve the effectiveness of dampers under earthquakes. In this study, an innovative cam-type response amplification friction damper (CRAFD) is proposed to achieve large energy dissipation and strokes. The restoring force was established theoretically and validated by quasi-static tests. The effectiveness of CRAFD is verified using a single-degree-of-freedom system numerically. The test results show that the CRAFD amplifies friction forces and energy dissipation by around 15 and 10 times, respectively, while the maximum deformation keeps below allowable strokes. Therefore, CRAFD is recommended in seismic protection for buildings, particularly long-period ones.