Experimental Study of New Seismic Protective Devices for Low-Rise Steel Buildings

The effectiveness of four protective systems in reducing the seismic structural response is assessed via shaking table tests using a 1/6-scale model of a steel building. The protective systems consist of two cables connected to hanging weights and to the top of the structure. The cables move guided by pulleys mounted on auxiliary structures. The devices dissipate energy through friction and in some variants also by impact with the ground. The tests show that the systems were capable of producing significant reductions in floor displacements and bending moments. The accelerations were also reduced, albeit not at the same level.