Application of Anti-seismic Devices with Metal Foam Core for the Retrofitting of an Existing Steel Structure

Recent advancements in material engineering opened up new possibilities in Civil Engineering. One notable example is metal foam, a novel material that offers a favourable weight-to-stiffness ratio, high damping and energy dissipation capacity. The growing interest in the advantageous properties of metal foam has spurred researchers to explore novel solutions for dissipative dampers for application in X-braced steel structures, resembling concentrically braced steel frames (CBFs). A promising application of this type of dissipative system is described and discussed in the present article, where the design and assessment of the seismic retrofitting intervention of an existing two-storey steel structure is reported. The structural scheme of the examined existing building comprises pinned frames that carry gravity loads, while concentrically braced frames resist horizontal actions (i.e., wind and seismic forces). This structure was erected in the early ‘80s of the last century, and thus designed before any modern capacity design criteria. The features of the adopted dissipative system are discussed and its effectiveness is verified through non-linear static analyses. The obtained results confirm that the adopted system could be a viable and effective solution to enhance the seismic capacity of vulnerable steel buildings.