Emerging Hysteretic-based Seismic Systems: Convergence of Ideas in Ductile Steel Design

Hysteretic energy dissipation in conventional structural configurations can be undesirable if it is achieved by the damage of primary structural members. Ideally, this hysteretic energy dissipation should occur in structural elements that are “disposable” (i.e., structural fuses that can be replaced without disturbance to the main system, just like real fuses). Much work has been accomplished over the past decades to implement various strategies in that perspective. Yet, conventional structural configurations remain widespread. This paper reviews emerging hysteretic-based systems that are gaining in popularity and assess their effectiveness in the perspective of variant forms of the structural fuse concept as well as their competitive advantages over conventional structural configurations.