Experimental and numerical investigation of austenitic stainless steel (304 type) slit damper structural behavior

Abstract

Carbon steel dampers have been applied for the seismic retrofitting of new and existing building structures. Experimental and numerical studies on the seismic response characteristics and reinforcement effects of applying stainless steel for the seismic retrofitting of building structures were recently conducted in the United States and Europe. Owing to its superior corrosion resistance, durability, sustainability, and fire resistance compared to carbon steel, austenitic steel is widely used as a structural material. In this study, experiments and numerical analyzes were performed to investigate the structural behavior and energy dissipation capacity of austenitic stainless steel slit dampers. The material test results show that austenitic stainless steel (STS304) underwent noticeable strength enhancement after yielding under cyclic loading compared to steel under monotonic tensile loading. The ultimate strength of the specimens also tended to increase in each cycle due to the cyclic hardening effect. A finite element (FE) analysis model was developed to predict the hysteretic behaviors of stainless steel dampers based on the cyclic material test results. The validity of the FE analysis model was verified through comparison with the test results and stress and strain distribution on critical section were discussed. In addition, the hysteretic behavior of the single story frame with chevron brace and stainless steel slit damper was investigated and compared with that of carbon steel damper.