Seismic Performance of Buildings with Viscous Damping Systems Designed by the Procedures of ASCE/SEI 7-16

This study investigates the seismic performance of buildings with fluid viscous damping systems designed in accordance with the procedures of ASCE/SEI 7-16. The study examines the effect of the following design parameters: (1) required strength of the brace-damper-connection system; (2) base shear force for the design of the frame exclusive of the damping system; (3) amount of damping; (4) damper displacement capacity; and (5) type of damping including use of fluidic self-centering devices. The assessment of performance is based on the calculation of probabilities of collapse and of exceeding the specific residual drifts of 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0% of story height for various seismic intensities up to the maximum considered earthquake and over a lifetime of 50 years for a particular site. The study determines that the most influential parameters for reducing the risk of collapse and of reducing the probability of exceeding the important residual story-drift ratio limits of 0.5 and 1% are the base shear force for the design, the strength of the brace-damper-connection system, and the amount of damping.