DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-CENTERING EARTHQUAKE RESISTING SYSTEMS

With current seismic design approaches, most structural systems are designed to respond beyond the elastic limit and eventually to develop a mechanism involving ductile inelastic response in specific regions of the structural system. Although seismic design aimed at inelastic response is very appealing, particularly from the initial cost stand point, regions in the lateral force resisting system are expected to be damaged and might require repair in moderately strong earthquakes. Furthermore, the structure may be damaged beyond repair in strong earthquakes and may exhibit excessive deformation in moderately large earthquakes. These issues have led to the development in recent years of structural systems that possess self-centering characteristics and that are economically viable alternatives to current lateral force resisting systems. These new structural systems incorporate the nonlinear characteristics of yielding structures and encompass self-centering properties allowing the structure to return to its original position after an earthquake. The main objective of this paper is to briefly describe some of these self-centering structural systems.