Application of shape memory alloy dampers in the seismic control of cable-stayed bridges

This paper focuses on introducing and investigating the performance of a new passive seismic control device for cable-stayed bridges made with shape memory alloys (SMAs). The superelasticity and damping capability of SMAs is sought in this study to develop a supplementary recentering and energy dissipation device for cable-stayed bridges. Three-dimensional long-span bridge model, including the effect of soil-structure interaction is developed and utilized in the study. SMA dampers are implemented at the bridge’s deck-pier and deck-tower connections. The bridge is subjected to three orthogonal components from two historic ground motion records. The effectiveness of the SMA dampers in controlling the deck displacement and limiting the shear and bending moment demands on the bridge towers is assessed. Furthermore, a study is conducted to determine the sensitivity of the bridge response to the hysteretic properties of the SMA dampers. The analytical results show that SMA dampers can successfully control the seismic behavior of the bridge. However, the effectiveness of the new dampers is significantly influenced by the relative stiffness between the dampers used at the deck-tower and deck-pier connections. The results also show that the variation in the SMAs’ strain hardening during phase transformation has a small effect on the bridge response compared to the variation in the unloading stress during reverse phase transformation.