Efficient siesmic analysis of building structures with added viscoelastic dampers

Conventional analysis methods for building structures with added viscoelastic dampers, such as direct integration, complex mode superposition, and modal strain energy method, were compared, and a procedure based on rigid diaphragm assumption and matrix condensation technique was proposed for application in the preliminary analysis and design stages. The results from the various analysis methods with and without the matrix condensation were compared, in view of both accuracy and efficiency. According to the eigenvalue analysis the major vibration modes were mostly preserved after the matrix condensation. It was also found that the matrix condensation technique applied to dynamic analysis of a structure with added viscoelastic dampers provided quite accurate results in significantly reduced time, regardless of the plan shape and the location of the viscoelastic dampers. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.