Date: January 16, 2023.
Dr. Geoff Rodgers, a Professor at The University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, presented at the School of Engineering at The University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus on January 16, 2023. The presentation was titled “Seismic Energy Dissipation, Dampers, and Low-Damage Seismic Structural Design” and moderated by Dr. Lisa Tobber, a Professor at the University of British Columbia.
During his presentation, Professor Rodgers discussed the innovation of dampers and energy dissipation systems and how they can improve the structural performance of both existing and new buildings against earthquake excitation by reducing the force and deformation demands. He highlighted the importance of seismic energy dissipation in ensuring the safety and stability of buildings during earthquakes, discussed various types of dampers and energy dissipation systems.
In addition, he presented case studies of several buildings in which these systems were implemented, showing significant reductions in damage, drift and acceleration compared to conventional buildings. He discussed the need for collaboration between structural engineers and other engineers of varied disciplines in order to successfully implement these systems and improve the overall seismic performance of buildings. He also emphasized the importance of continued research and innovation in this field in order to develop new and improved systems.
Additionally, Professor Rodgers provided an explanation of the mechanism of these new types of dampers and how they perform to dissipate seismic energy, showed experimental test results of dampers and structures equipped with these dampers.
He also revealed that The University of British Columbia and the University of Canterbury are planning to conduct a study in innovative dampers which aims to develop and test new dampers and energy dissipation systems, and evaluate their performance under seismic loading.
The presentation provided valuable insights into the latest developments in seismic energy dissipation and dampers and their potential to improve the safety and resilience of buildings against earthquakes. The discussion that followed the presentation provided an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and further explore the topic.
