This technology is an inter-story vibration control device that draws cables from four circles fixed symmetrically to the upper and lower floors of a structure to a midpoint height, secures them with a cross-shaped connector, and inserts dampers between the cables and the connector to absorb vibrations in an X-shape.
Although small to medium-sized earthquakes occur consistently in Korea, seismic research has focused on large structures and new buildings, leaving few examples of seismic retrofitting for existing low-to-mid-rise buildings. Installing vibration dampers on exterior walls compromises aesthetics and spatial openness, while interior installation often requires increasing wall thickness to meet damping capacity requirements, creating constraints on cost and space utilization.
This technology consists of a piston rod with a disk-type friction member, a cylinder body with a larger inner diameter, a hollow cap through which the piston rod passes, an opposing cylinder cap, a spring between the friction member and the hollow cap, and silicone oil filled inside. When ground vibrations are transmitted through the cables, the spring elasticity allows the piston rod to move, reducing external forces, while the viscosity of the silicone oil flowing around the friction member prevents rapid spring deformation. The connector combines bar and double-bar types with a hinge and can be easily attached using hooks at both ends of the cables. It can be applied to seismic remodeling of existing low-to-mid-rise buildings like schools and government offices, pilotis-structured apartment buildings, and small commercial buildings, allowing for the addition of damping devices in narrow indoor inter-story spaces with a short construction period without thickening walls or altering the exterior.
This invention was developed with support from the Small and Medium Business Administration for the development of an improved X-type slim damper for the seismic retrofitting of public structures.
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