Seismic performance and design method of U-shaped damper with corrugated energy-consuming component

To improve the mechanical performance and economy of traditional U-shaped damper, and solve the problems of low initial stiffness and limited bearing capacity, a novel U-shaped damper with corrugated energy-consuming component (UDCEC) was proposed. To clarify the working mechanism and mechanical performance of UDCEC, and propose a design method for the bearing capacity and stiffness of UDCEC, the influence of the key size parameters of UDCEC on its bearing capacity and seismic performance was analyzed through ANSYS. Based on the principle of virtual work, design theoretical formulas for the bearing capacity and stiffness of UDCEC were derived, and the accuracy of theoretical formulas was verified through finite element simulation. The results show that the stiffness, energy dissipation capacity, and economy of UDCEC is significantly improved compared to traditional U-shaped damper. The influence of the size parameters of corrugated plate on seismic performance of UDCEC is larger than that of U-shaped plate. Increasing the thickness of the corrugated plate can effectively avoid shear buckling of the corrugated plate, thereby improving the bearing capacity and energy dissipation capacity of the UDCEC. The design theory has high accuracy and can provide a theoretical basis for the engineering application of UDCEC. •A U-shaped damper with corrugated energy-consuming component was proposed.•The seismic performance of the UDCEC was analyzed by FEM.•Theories for the bearing capacity and stiffness of the UDCEC were established.•Design suggestions for the UDCEC were provided.•The UDCEC has high initial stiffness and good seismic performance.