Experimental investigation of low-yield-point steel shear panel dampers

Pseudo-static tests of three groups of shear panel dampers made of low-yield-point steel, BLY160, were conducted to study the hysteresis in the mechanical properties, low cycle fatigue behavior and earthquake mitigation effects. Two specimens were subjected to four loading schemes to investigate the influences of stiffening rib size, width-thickness ratio of the web plate and the cyclical load history. The results show that the low-yield-point steel has significant cyclic hardening with the accumulation of plastic strain and that the damping devices using BLY160 steel have high initial stiffnesses, small yield displacement, favorable ductility, stable hysteresis and excellent energy dissipation.