Effectiveness of fluid-viscous dampers for improved seismic performance of inter-storey isolated buildings

The results show not only the effectiveness of optimal FVDs but also the fact that their optimal linearity degree depends to a great extent on the non-linear seismic response of the structure, i.e., on the type of earthquake. The simplest design approach, consisting of applying an optimization algorithm for each design accelerogram, did not seem, in this case, to be sufficient to identify the best overall design solution. The design consequences of these findings are discussed.