The disclosed technology provides a seismic yielding connector. The seismic yielding connector includes a U-shaped plate configured to connect a side stud of a panel to another component of a panel and a yielding plate located between the U-shaped plate and the side stud of the panel. A high-strength bolt connects the U-shaped plate, the yielding plate, and the side stud of the panel to a structural column. A bushing is located between the U-shaped plate and the structural column.

Method, apparatus, and systems are disclosed for damping the movements of structures undergoing dynamic forces. The disclosed dampers are a new type of steel plate dampers, intended to reduce the cost and improve the performance of structures subject to severe seismic loading. While in these dampers the metal plates undergo plastic deformation as a method of absorbing and dissipating energy, the disclosed designs do not allow the stress and strain in the metal plates to go above a predetermined design value and; therefore, the new dampers have long lives and do not need repair or replacement after a big earthquake or similar events. These dampers may be used for building and non-building structures. In such applications the required damping capacities are relatively high and different scales of sliding force and stroke are required.

Column-to-beam connection systems are disclosed herein, along with moment-resisting frames including the same and methods of repairing the same. An example column-to-beam connection system includes a shear component. The shear component includes abase plate that is connected to a column flange. The shear component also includes at least one vertical web extending from the base plate. The vertical web is connected to with a beam flange. The vertical web also defines one or more openings therein.

A damper frame includes a structural frame and a damper assembly secured to the structural frame. The damper assembly includes a damper support secured to the structural frame. A damper is secured to the damper support. A diagonal link is secured to the structural frame. A lever is secured to the damper support and the damper. The lever is pivotally connected to the diagonal link so displacement of the diagonal link is amplified and transferred to the damper. The damper support includes a laterally-extending cantilevered portion and the damper is secured to the damper support at the cantilevered portion.

An example system is disclosed that may include a diaphragm, a pair of C-channels coupled to the diaphragm, a horizontal beam having two opposite ends, a pair of collars configured to slide onto the two opposite ends of the horizontal beam, the pair of collars each including a flange around a perimeter of each of the pair of collars, the flange configured to couple to an end of each of the pair of C-channels, a pair of columns coupled to the two opposite ends of the horizontal beam, and a brace coupled to at least one column of the pair of columns and the horizontal beam. An example method is disclosed for translating a lateral load from a diaphragm to a lateral load support system.

Embodiments are directed to structural fuses, structures including the same, and methods of using and forming the same. In an embodiment, a structural fuse is disclosed. The structural fuse includes a first attachment region defining one or more first bolt holes, a second attachment region defining one or more second bolt holes, and a yielding region between the first attachment region and the second attachment region. The yielding region defines one or more slots exhibiting an elongated shape.

An eddy current damper includes a screw shaft, first permanent magnets, second permanent magnets, a cylindrical magnet holding member, a cylindrical conductive member, and a ball nut meshing with a screw shaft. The screw shaft is movable in the axial direction. The first permanent magnets are arrayed along the circumferential direction around the screw shaft. The second permanent magnet is arranged between the first permanent magnets, wherein the arrangement of magnet poles is inverted between the second permanent magnet and the first permanent magnet. The magnet holding member holds the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet. The conductive member is opposed to the first permanent magnets and the second permanent magnets with a gap therebetween. The ball nut is disposed inside the magnet holding member and the conductive member, and is fixed to the magnet holding member or the conductive member.

A method for on-site assembly of a shelter for an above-ground structure to protect the structure from blast, wind, fire or other physical hazards. A pyramidal shelter with triangular or rectangular base is formed by joining side panels to each other. Each side panel includes a triangular frame covered, except at access hatch, observation port and door openings, with either steel plate or diamond steel mesh to which blast-resistant, fire-resistant or other kinds of coatings or panels are applied. A corner anchor assembly to support each corner of a shelter has a lower plate, an overlying split plate, and a pair of upstanding, anchor rods attached to the split plates for insertion into hollow, lower portions of side beams of adjacent side panels. The corner anchor assemblies facilitate expansion of an assembled shelter by addition of more modular components.

A structural frame for a building includes a plurality of columns, beams, and beam-to-column connections. A plurality of braces are positioned in frame bays formed by respective pairs of columns and beams, each brace comprising a multi-piece brace having a plurality of brace portions. A plurality of discontinuous elastic zone connections couple the plurality of beams to the plurality of columns via the plurality of beam-to-column connections and/or couple pieces of the multi-piece brace together. Each of the discontinuous elastic zone connections comprises connection mechanisms and a compression element positioned on each connection mechanism, with each compression element comprising a single component or a plurality of deformable components in a parallel stack, a series stack, or a combination of parallel stacks and series stacks. The compression element is configured to provide elasticity in the structural frame and dampen the effects of transient loads on the structural frame.

The buckling-restrained brace that is capable of being fixed to connected portions of a structure using bolts, the brace includes: a plate member extending in an axial direction, and in which bolt holes for fixing the bolts are formed at end portions of the plate member in the axial direction; and a buckling-restrained member configured to restrain a center portion of the plate member in the axial direction to prevent the plate member from buckling, wherein the buckling-restrained member includes a pipe member surrounding the plate member from the outside in a radial direction, and a filler filling the gap between the pipe member and the plate member, and the plate member includes a fixing plate, a portion of which is embedded in the filler, and the remaining portion is protruded from the filler in the axial direction, and in which the bolt hole is formed at an end portion of the remaining portion in the axial direction.