Energy Dissipation Systems for Seismic Performance

Energy dissipation systems form a critical element of modern seismic design by converting seismic input energy into heat or other forms of benign energy, thereby reducing the demand on primary structural components. Such systems include metallic dampers, yielding braces, friction devices and smart materials, each designed to act sacrificially under cyclic loading to protect the main structural frame. Common implementations involve buckling-restrained braces that remain stable in compression and tension, hysteretic steel dampers that exploit plastic deformation for energy absorption, and shape memory alloy elements that add recentering capability. In addition, hybrid solutions combine multiple mechanisms to achieve tailored stiffness, strength and post-event reusability. Globally, these devices have been adopted in regions of high seismicity to enhance life safety, ensure rapid return to service and limit economic losses. As codes evolve towards performance-based seismic design, energy dissipation systems are increasingly integrated into building regulations and retrofit strategies. Recent advances focus on optimising hysteretic behaviour, refining analytical models for design, and evaluating long-term durability under repeated earthquake scenarios, thus strengthening the resilience of both new and existing structures.

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Recent investigations into concentrically braced steel frames equipped with buckling-restrained braces have demonstrated substantial gains in energy dissipation and lateral stiffness. By incorporating central yielding elements into brace intersections, designers have shown through static pushover and incremental dynamic analyses that response modification and over-strength factors can be reliably specified in accordance with established seismic evaluation methodologies. These improvements help to limit buckling and reduce story drifts under design-level ground motions.

A novel multistage buckling-restrained brace has been proposed featuring two low-yield cores alongside a high-yield core to balance energy absorption and elastic restoring forces. Experimental testing up to 1.5% strain and accompanying finite element simulations confirmed a predicted trilinear backbone response with equivalent damping ratios in the range of 10–20% prior to high-yield core activation. The device exhibited robust fatigue capacity, suggesting its suitability for scenarios demanding both high dissipation and controlled residual drift.

Foundational work on specialised energy-absorbing devices dates back to studies of plastic deformation mechanisms in mild steel, including torsion of bars, rolling of strips and flexure of beams. Early research established that plastic torsion can deliver energy dissipation densities up to 50 × 10⁶ N/m³ per cycle with gradual failure modes that prolong device life. These principles underpin many contemporary damper designs by decoupling load-carrying and energy-dissipating functions and enabling replaceable sacrificial components in seismic systems.

Energy Dissipation Systems for Seismic Performance publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in energy dissipation systems for seismic performance across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Buckling-Restrained Brace (BRB): A brace in which a central yielding core is encased to prevent buckling, providing stable hysteretic energy dissipation in both tension and compression.

Hysteretic Behaviour: The load–deformation response of a material or device under cyclic loading, characterised by a looped curve whose area represents energy dissipated per cycle.

Energy Dissipation: The process by which input mechanical energy is converted into heat or other forms of energy, reducing the force transmitted to the primary structure during seismic events.

Damping Ratio: A dimensionless measure of energy dissipation relative to critical damping, influencing the amplitude of vibratory response under dynamic loading.

Self-Centering: The capacity of a structural system or device to return to its original position after loading, often achieved through pre-tensioned or smart material elements.

References

1. Seismic evaluation of concentrically braced steel frames equipped with yielding elements and BRBs. Results in Engineering (2023).
2. Mechanisms of energy absorption in special devices for use in earthquake resistant structures. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering (1972).
3. Experimental investigation of a multistage buckling-restrained brace. Engineering Structures (2020).