FULL-SCALE VISCOELASTICALLY DAMPED STEEL FRAME

A full-scale five-story steel-frame structure with added viscoelastic (VE) dampers is studied experimentally and analytically. The experimen tal program includes free-vibration and harmonic forced-vibration test s. Dynamic scaling relations between the full-scale and 2/5-scale mode ls with VE dampers are presented. Test results confirm that damping in the full-scale structure can be significantly increased by incorporat ing relatively small VE dampers, The modal strain energy method used t o estimate the structural damping for the 2/5-scale model structure is also applicable to the full-scale structure. The damper design proced ure developed from the 2/5-scale model can also be used for the full-s cale structure. This study provides an important base for utilizing th e extensive data generated from the reduced scale-model tests for inco rporating VE dampers into full-scale structures.