Displacement-based design method for energy dissipation structures with nonlinear viscous dampers

A displacement-based design method for energy dissipation structures with nonlinear viscous dampers is proposed in combination with Chinese seismic design code. According to the characteristics of energy dissipation structures, its seismic performance is divided into three levels; serviceability, life-safety, and collapse protection. The three levels are quantified with storey drift ratios. The equivalent damping ratio is evaluated by the simplified method. The structures are transformed into an effective single-degree-of-freedom system, the design method of energy dissipation structures with non-linear viscous dampers is established by displacement-based design method. Application of the method is illustrated by using a frame structure. The results from the case study indicate that the proposed method is feasible, and agrees well with time-history analysis, futher more , the method is simple of applicability , easy to be operated and is able to control the performance of energy dissipation structures under different intensities of earthquake.