Structural damping with shape-memory alloys: one class of devices

Passive control of the dynamic response of civil structures utilizing shape-memory alloy (SMA) damping techniques is reviewed. An important class of SMA damper -- the center- tapped (CT) device -- is described. Coverage includes: (1) characterization of damping requirements and passive damping approaches for civil structures; (2) characterization of SMA material behaviors relevant to civil structural applications; (3) overview of our SMA passive damping device technology and description of the center-tapped device operation and structure; (4) precis of an experimental program conducted to verify the CT device behavior, the detailed results of which are reported in another paper by the Earthquake Engineering Research Center; (5) review of a design study of SMA passive damping for retrofit of an extant nonductile concrete building.