A simplified design method for metallic dampers used in the transverse direction of cable-stayed bridges

The aseismic design of cable-stayed bridges in the transverse direction with newly proposed metallic dampers that can accommodate both longitudinal and transverse movement of the deck has recently been considered. This work focuses on developing a simplified method to design an appropriate metallic damper. The seismic performance of cablestayed bridges with different damper stiffness, main span lengths, tower shapes and types of deck in the transverse direction are investigated. The transverse displacement of the deck of a cable-stayed bridge increases significantly with the increment of the damper stiffness, which proves that the design of the damper stiffness is crucial. A simplified model considering the damper stiffness, cable system and tower in the transverse direction is developed to evaluate the period and lateral displacement of a complicated cable-stayed bridge. Based on the simplified model, a design method is proposed and assessed using two cable-stayed bridges as examples. The results show that metallic dampers can be designed with high efficiency, and the optimal ductility of the damper can be selected.