- Background and Purpose of Development
- The junction structure, where welding is heavily applied at the junction of column and beam, is the key part of steel construction today. However, since the quality of seismic performance of such junction structure is influenced by the skill as well as the inspection technique of the welder, a measured welding and quality control is required. To improve the quality of steel construction, a junction structure that could guarantee a more stable seismic performance needs to be put into practical application. We have conducted our research and development on medium to low-rise steel constructions for the practical application of a damage-controlled structural system that confines damaged areas in major earthquakes, and prevents damage to the main structural elements.
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- Contents of Development and Results
- Structural System with Knee Brace Damper
We have developed a damage-control structural system, the Structural System with Knee Brace Damper, which confines damaged areas to the knee brace dampers even in major earthquakes, and prevents damage to the main structural elements such as columns and beams.
The Knee Brace Damper applies the technology of buckling-restrained brace, and it is designed to prevent damage to columns and beams by confining them in the elastic range by absorbing the seismic energy with the plastic deformation of the damper's core material in major earthquakes. Since the Knee Brace Damper's seismic performance enables it to withstand more than ten major earthquakes, a building can be used continually after major earthquakes if the residual deformation is small.
In September 2005, we have obtained Assessment of Technology for Building Construction from the General Building Research Corporation of Japan for this system.
The illustration shows the knee brace damper being vibrated from the side.
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- Joint Development Organizations
- Research Group of Structural System with Knee Brace Damper
- Chairman: Ichiro Inoue (Kyoto University)
- Participating companies: 18 companies including Daiwa House Industry.
See other development achievement.