Performance-based seismic design of a spring-friction damper retrofit system installed in a steel frame

This study investigates a new seismic retrofit system that utilizes rotational friction dampers and axial springs. The retrofit system involves a steel frame with rotational friction dampers (RFD) at beam-column joints and linear springs at the corners, providing energy dissipation and self-centering capabilities to existing structures. The axial spring acts as a self-centering mechanism that eliminates residual deformations, while the friction damper mitigates seismic damage. To evaluate the seismic performance of the proposed retrofit system, a series of cyclic loading tests were carried out on a steel beam-column subassembly equipped with the proposed devices. An analytical model was then developed to validate the experimental results. A performance point ratio (PPR) was presented to optimize the design parameters of the retrofit system, and a performance-based seismic design strategy was developed based on the PPR. The retrofit system's effectiveness and the presented performance-based design approach were evaluated through case study models, and the analysis results demonstrated that the developed retrofit system and the performance-based design procedure were effective in retrofitting structures for multi-level design objectives.