Theoretical analysis and experimental research on toggle-brace-damper system considering different installation modes

The toggle-brace-damper system has been proven to be the most effective system for the energy dissipation of stiff structures. However, the expected effect of the toggle-brace-damper system depends largely on its configuration, the use of steel braces and the installation mode. The existing design methods of toggle-brace-damper systems may be further improved. The analysis of different installation modes and experiments involving toggle-brace-damper systems are conducted to improve understanding of the influence of key factors and to provide design guidance. For toggle-brace-damper system tests, a vertical brace is installed in a steel frame to prevent out-of-plane instability. The calculation formulas for an upper toggle-brace-damper system and other configuration systems with consideration of the influence of brace deformation are studied in the paper. Test results show that the upper toggle-brace-damper system has the largest magnification factor, which is consistent with the theoretical analyses. The brace deformation and installation error cannot be ignored in the design of a toggle-brace-damper system. Installation error can also lead to out-of-plane instability of a toggle-brace-damper system. Moreover, the experimental results show that the magnification factor changes with loading and is different when force is applied in the push and pull directions. (C) 2012 Sharif University of Technology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.