A Proposal on Horizontal First Initial Damping Ratio for the Seismic Design of Buildings

Abstract

The physical properties of the damping of buildings are less elucidated than those of stiffness and mass; however, damping has a significant effect on the behavior of a building against dynamic external forces, such as earthquakes and wind. The damping of buildings comprises two parts, initial damping and hysteresis damping. This paper investigates the ratios of initial damping for ordinary buildings. The proposed damping ratios are 1.5% or less for steel buildings and 2.0% or less for reinforced concrete buildings, and these values are smaller than ratios that are used generally in the current seismic design.