On the dynamic behavior of a new shear dissipater for the seismic protection of structures

The present paper describes a new dissipation device that can be utilized to reduce the seismic effects on civil engineering structures and preserve their structural integrity. The new device is made of aluminum and steel; it dissipates energy through the hysteretic behavior and the local plasticization of aluminum. It is a very simple device with a low cost of production. The proposed dissipater has been first tested using a monotonic type load in order to characterize it and to determine its mechanical parameters. Then its capacity to dissipate energy has been confirmed by a series of shaking-table tests on a 3D steel frame protected with these new devices. The frame has been subjected to a series of records from an impulsive earthquake such as Aigio allowing to determine the nonlinear behavior of the dissipaters under severe working conditions, and to assess the efficiency of the device.