Effect of Viscous Damping Models on Displacement Ductility Demands for SDOF Systems

The viscous damping is a highly idealized but mathematically convenient way of representing the energy dissipation mechanisms not related to the hysteretic response. In this study, the tangent-stiffness proportional Rayleigh damping (TSPRD) appropriate for inelastic hysteretic structures outfitted with the supplemental damping devices is utilized in inelastic dynamic analysis of simple single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) structures. A numerical procedure of dynamic equilibrium equation for SDOF systems with TSPRD model is derived for development of the general numerical solution scheme. By specifying various combinations of tangent-stiffness and mass proportional damping terms in TSPRD model, the influence of viscous damping models on displacement ductility demands is investigated. The results indicate that the difference in ductility demands for various damping models is considerable, depending on the periods of vibration, relative lateral strength, hysteretic models, stiffness deterioration and initial damping ratios. The constant-strength displacement ductility spectra, by considering both tangent-stiffness proportional and mass proportional damping, are developed in terms of site conditions, hysteretic rules and initial damping ratios.