Use of Real-Time Hybrid Simulation to Evaluate the Performance-Based Seismic Design of Steel MRFs with Compressed Elastomer Dampers

This paper presents an experimental program using real-time hybrid simulation to verify the performance-based seismic design of a two story, four-bay steel moment resisting frame (MRF) building with compressed elastomer dampers. The laboratory specimens, referred to as experimental substructures, are two individual compressed elastomer dampers, while the remaining part of the building is modeled as an analytical substructure. The proposed experimental technique enables an ensemble of ground motions to be applied to the building, resulting in various levels of damage, without the need to repair the experimental substructures since the damage is within the analytical substructure. Statistical experimental response results incorporating the ground motion variability show that an MRF with compressed elastomer dampers can be designed to perform better than a conventional steel special moment resisting frame (SMRF), even when the MRF with dampers is significantly lighter in weight than the conventional SMRF.