Study on Similarity of Hysteretic Loops and Characteristic Parameters of Viscoelastic Dampers with Test Verifications

There are similarity relations in hysteretic loops and parameters of viscoelastic (VE) dampers with same material but various sizes. Similarity coefficients of damper force and deformation of hysteretic loops were derived, and then similarity coefficients of characteristic parameters of VE dampers with various sizes were obtained consequently. Based on the similarity criteria, if the hysteretic loops of one of a series of VE dampers with same material but various sizes are obtained through test, then hysteretic loops of other dampers can be derived easily. Two kinds of VE dampers with different sizes have been tested under various strains to verify the proposed similarity criteria. The similarity criteria can be used in design of related tests and structural seismic design.