Seismic Resilience Enhancement Using Superelastic Friction Dampers With Shape Memory Alloy

Seismic resilience is a critical consideration in structural engineering, particularly in regions prone to high seismic activity. Traditional seismic protective systems often face limitations in self-centering capability, durability, and post-earthquake repairability. Shape memory alloys (SMAs) have emerged as a promising solution due to their unique superelasticity and re-centering capabilities, which enables enhanced energy dissipation and reduced residual deformations. This research focuses on the development and characterization of a large-scale superelastic friction damper (SFD), which couples shape memory alloy cables with a friction mechanism to enhance energy dissipation and reduce residual displacements in structural systems. By leveraging the unique superelastic properties of SMA cables and the energy dissipation potential of frictional material, the proposed damper provides improved energy absorption while maintaining self-centering capabilities. This research aims to fully characterize the performance of SMA-based friction dampers, including their response at large displacement amplitudes, failure behavior, and reparability. Additionally, a full-scale superelastic friction damper is evaluated under ASCE 7-22 prototype test protocol.