Journal of Steel & Structure

Journal of Steel & Structure

Improvement of Steel Beam-to-Box Column Connections Performance Using Slit Damper

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Babak Dizangian 1
Razieh Dadgar 2
1 Department of civil engineering, Velayat university, Iranshahr, Iran
2 Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Velayat University, Iranshahr, Iran.
10.22034/jss.2025.547174.1006
Abstract
Given the necessity of reducing earthquake-induced damages in steel structures, the use of passive dampers, particularly slit dampers, has been recognized as an effective approach for seismic energy dissipation. The present study aims to enhance the performance of welded beam-to-box column connections by investigating the effect of employing I-shaped slit dampers. For this purpose, 11 connection models, including both bare and damper-equipped specimens, were analyzed under cyclic loading using the finite element method in ABAQUS software. The results indicated that concentrating inelastic deformations in the damper region significantly reduced stress and plastic strain in the main structural components and prevented the formation of plastic hinges in the beam. Examination of the damper’s geometric characteristics revealed that slit shape and damper length play a crucial role in connection behavior; in particular, the diamond-shaped slit model exhibited the highest flexural capacity and initial stiffness. Moreover, increasing the damper length improved flexural performance but transferred higher stresses to the column, thereby raising its vulnerability. Overall, I-shaped slit dampers can be introduced as an effective, economical, and replaceable option for improving the performance of steel structure connections.
Keywords
Welded Beam-to-Box Column Connections
Steel Structures
Slit Damper
Finite Element Method
ABAQUS
Subjects
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  • Receive Date 15 September 2025
  • Revise Date 20 November 2025
  • Accept Date 20 November 2025
  • First Publish Date 20 November 2025
  • Publish Date 22 June 2025