Pre-stressed Connections of Steel Beams and CFT Columns with Floor Slabs and X-shaped Dampers

Pre-stressed Connections of Steel Beams and CFT Columns with Floor Slabs and X-shaped Dampers

When the traditional beam-to-column connections experience a severe earthquake, plastic-hinges are formed at the beam ends to dissipate energy. After earthquake, the building is unable to be repaired. Therefore, the research of pre-stressed connection has begun. Using the opening mechanism at the interface between beams and columns of pre-stressed connection, energy dissipation elements are attached in order to dissipate the energy transmitted into the building by the earthquake. In this research project, X-shaped damper was connected to the beam and column and it bent when the interface opened. The translational and rotational displacements of the X-shaped damper were considered to make the design optimal so that all the elevation of the damper yielded at the same time. In addition, since the X-damper was bolt connected to beam and column, the damper could be replaced immediately after severe earthquake. Moreover, connection detail was designed for the slabs in such a way that opening of the interface between beam and column would not be hindered and the continuity of the slabs remained. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed connections was verified experimentally.