Characterization of Filler-Free Buckling Restrained Fuse-Type Energy Dissipation Device for Seismic Applications

Abstract

The grooved-type dissipater is an axial, metal hysteretic dissipative device. It is an alternative to the epoxy- or grout-filled buckling restrained fuse (BRF)-type dissipater. This device consists of a mild steel rod which has grooves milled into it to reduce the cross-sectional area to form the fuse. A thick-walled circular hollow section (antibuckling tube) covers the fuse length and prevents global inelastic buckling of the fuse in compression. The advantage of this device is that it consists of only two parts and does not require the use of expensive grout or epoxy filler. This paper describes a state-of-the-art device, presented formulations describing important geometric properties and discussed their engineering implications, presented experimental and numerical investigations undertaken to characterize the low-cycle fatigue life of the grooved dissipater, and obtained coefficients to model this phenomenon using either the Fatigue material in OpenSees or the well-known Coffin–Manson equation and Palmer–Milgren damage rule.